Living
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Takes place after Adjusting. Dying is easy. Living is hard... Mang.
1. Chapter 1

Living

Chapter 1

Tyler got kicked out of his class finally. The teacher said he either left her class or she left. So I guess that's good. I haven't even been able to build up the strength to yell at him. It's like everything's been muted, like everything's dead. It's been awhile but how do you measure death?

Okay, not death. We don't know if she's dead or alive. Some days it's better to just pretend that she's dead. Others, thinking of her living gives me hope. Honestly though, I'm not the one that's been effected the worse.

Damien walked into the store, looking deader than any of us. He was growing a beard now but I don't think he's meaning to, he's just not up to shaving. He's finally up to getting out of his apartment though so I'm not complaining.

He came up to the counter a mumbled something. Luther didn't hear him.

"What-"

"My fucking shipment!"

Luther looked at me before going to the back to get it. It was Doraemon that he wanted, to give to Tommy. His original plan was to give them all to Tommy on Christmas but for us, Christmas didn't happen. Well, I say us, but I guess that's wrong. It happened for Alex and her family. We bought the kids stuff but they knew something was wrong. I mean, Tyler guessed that something was wrong by the mood of everything but Tabitha actually knew, that's to Tommy. No, she didn't know that we think Cameron's been taken by a serial killer but yes, she knows that Cameron's gone and most likely dead. I'm sure that if Tyler actually thought about it, he'd come to some sort of conclusion but let's be honest. He doesn't give a crap about anyone.

"Here you go," Luther said, setting a box down. Seeing as he didn't order them before Cameron…disappeared, he was now giving them to Tommy a few at a time. I think giving them to Tommy is Damien holding onto Cameron in one of the only ways he can.

Damien paid and left. I laid my head down on the counter.

"Head up. If he can do it, you can do it."

Rolling my eyes heavily, I slowly lifted my head. "What time do I get off?"

"You still got another hour."

I yawned. "How long do you have?"

"I'm working all day."

Great…

* * *

May 11th…five months and two days. That's how long it has been.

"Peter," Damien whispered. "Pete?"

The cat meowed at him, coming out of the shadows. Damien walked into his room, closing the door after the cat followed him in.

"Five months and two days," Damien mumbled, picking Peter up and setting him on the bed. This was his apartment. It was a good thing he hadn't moved out yet. He couldn't stay in that house. How could he stay in that house? It was impossible. Damien started heaving, feeling like he had to puke. That's what thinking about it did to him. He crawled into bed, not caring if he had to puke or not. Who knew what Cameron was going through? A little puke was nothing.

Of course, Damien knew she was alive. She had to be. Didn't she? Yes, she did. His Cameron was still out there. She was waiting for her Superman to come find her. And if he knew where she was, he would.

When it first happened and the police said it was…that killer, they all knew that in the next week, her body would show up. It was inevitable. Then it didn't. It just didn't show. It didn't make any sense. Not to a single person. No one could explain it. Then the killings stopped. It was almost as if the killer had found his one, the one that he wanted. That sick freak had stolen Damien's Cameron as his own and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Life sucks.

That was when Damien realized he had been talking to himself again and also, someone was in his room with him.

"Are you sick again?"

He felt his mother's cool hands on his forehead. He didn't say anything to her. She came into his apartment unannounced all the time now. It began right after Cameron was taken. Damien stayed in his apartment for days, all alone with not even Peter for company. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep.

Then his mom found him and made him eat, made him shower, made him change his clothes. In fact, for the first two months after Cameron was gone, the only people to see him were his sister and mother. One or the other would come and take care of him for the day. It wasn't until March that he left his apartment. Peter had run out of food and neither his mother nor sister was there to get more. The sunlight burned but he survived.

It was then that he remembered Tommy. Tommy…he knew that the kid hadn't been found of him until right before Cameron was gone but Damien suddenly felt bad. The kid was basically his nephew and he just hung him out to dry. So, he started buying the Doraemon for the kid. He couldn't face him. Oh, no, not that. What would he say to him? So he sent them to him through the mail. From Max, he got the address of where his mother was staying. He wasn't sure if Trent was there or not but he didn't care.

His mother went out of the room and returned with soup. "Here, eat."

Damien turned away from her, still not speaking.

"Damien, you will eat this. Now."

True, Damien was now skeptical on the whole God thing, he still didn't believe in disrespecting your mother. He loved his mother. Sitting up, he took the bowl and spoon from her. Trinity looked him over for a moment before leaving.

Damien ate but he didn't taste it. Though, when he thought about it, dying wasn't going to help Cameron any. What would she do if she found out that he had died of starvation? Give up living too? He wasn't taking the chance.

Peter meowed, curling into a bowl on Cameron's pillow. Okay, so one of his pillows, but it was the one that she used when she stayed over so hers. He shook his head. The kitty missed his mommy and it showed. Damien missed her too.

* * *

"Hi, Mommy."

I gave Lucas a kiss. "Hi. Were you good today?"

He giggled. "Yes!"

"Good," I said, closing the front door. "Where's Daddy?"

"Dere," he said, pointing to the kitchen. Setting him back down on the ground, I went into the kitchen to go talk to Fang.

"Hey," I said, going over to him. He kissed me before going back to stirring. "What are you making?"

"Spaghetti."

Great… "Damien came into the store today."

"Was he okay?"

"No but that's no different than all the other days he comes in," I said, shrugging. It was Tuesday night so Alex wasn't over which meant Tyler was off playing by himself, probably doing something bad. I set out to find out what.

"You know you're not supposed to be in here with out your father."

Tyler looked at me from the couch in the attic. "I forgot."

"Try again."

"Um…I got lost."

"Come here," I said. Tyler walked over to me and I gave him a hug. "I won't say anything if you don't."

He smiled, following me back to the living room. Lucas was playing with his stuffed animals.

"Pay?" He asked his older brother.

Tyler pretended to think about it before getting down on the ground with him.

"Me-me!" Cody called for me from his playpen. I went and got the eleven month old out of his prison, holding him close to me.

"Hi, baby," I said, kissing his head. "How are you? Huh?"

He yawned, laying his head on my shoulder. I put him back down so that he could go to sleep before going to find Tabitha. She was in her room.

"Hi, baby."

She was one hundred percent focused on something. I walked further into the room, looking at it.

"What are you doing, Tabby?"

"Drawing."

"For who?"

"Luther."

"Oh," I said, looking around her room. "How was school today?"

She shrugged. "Tommy didn't want to play at recess. He just wanted to read that stupid robot book thingy."

I sighed. "Baby, Tommy's going through a lot right now."

"So? I'm still his girlfriend and he still didn't play with me."

I gave her a kiss on the head before walking out of the room. Tyler and Lucas were still playing on the floor. After checking on Cody once more, I went into my room to nap. I was sleeping when I felt something in bed with me. It was Snickers.

"Hi, kitty."

She curled against my side. I went back to sleep until Fang came and got me.

"Time to eat," he whispered, kissing my head.

Yawning, I got out of bed, following him to the kitchen. The kids were already eating.

"Lucas, don't you get messy," I warned though I knew he would. His bath was after dinner so it didn't matter that much.

He giggled, grabbing some of the spaghetti with his hand. Fang grabbed his hand and made him set the food back down.

"We eat with forks, Lucas," Fang said, helping the baby eat. Lucas, always one for attention, was grateful for the help. I sat down next to Tyler.

"I'm a big boy, Max. I don't need Dad's help."

"I know you don't," I said, looking at Cody. He was in his highchair, playing with his spaghetti like Lucas wanted to. Great, now he needs to be scrubbed too. After dinner, I made Fang give Lucas and Cody baths. What? You didn't think I would be the one to do that, did you? Please.

* * *

Sometimes, he drives past her house just to see, just to know it's still there. Her brothers took care of it as far as he knew. They were making sure that it was paid for and stuff. Damien wasn't sure how they were ever going to live there again when she got back.

At the moment, he was headed to work. At first, he quit his job but then he realized the only way to do that and still make it was to move in with his parents. There was no way that he was going near his father. He was luck that Fire Tats took him back so willingly but it didn't mean that he liked being at work. It just gave him something to do.

"Tired?" Joann asked him as he sat down. It was about eight now and they closed at three in the morning. So, he was stuck here for another seven hours. He didn't say anything to her. She just sighed, letting them fall into silence.

* * *

"You're supposed to be asleep," I told Lucas. He looked up at me.

"No. I wanna play."

I looked at the clock. Past midnight. "Too bad."

After putting him back in bed, I checked on Cody. He was sleeping, like always. I gave Lucas one more kiss before going to get back in bed. Fang was waiting.

"What was he doing?"

"Playing."

Fang lifted up the covers for me before pulling me closer to him. "Less than a month and the kids are off for the summer."

"Joy."

He nuzzled my neck, opening his wings a little so that they wrapped around me. "Comfy?"

"Very."

Fang ran a hand down my stomach. "You are way too skinny again."

"No. I'm fat."

Fang pinched me.

"Ow, you jackass!"

"Max, it hurt so much because there's barely any skin there to pinch."

"Shut up and go to sleep," I said, closing my eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Max," Nudge said as I answered the phone.

"Nudge, it's seven in the morning."

"I know. I just figured you were already up, getting the kids ready and stuff."

"Fang does that. Not me."

"…Anyways, how is everything?"

"What do you mean?"

"How's Damien?"

"He wants to die. What do you want me to say?"

Lucas, who had been put into bed with me at some point, poked me. "Nug? Me wan' 'alk!"

I rolled my eyes. "Lucas wants to say hi."

"Okay."

I put the phone up to his ear. He made a noise before moving away from it, giggling.

"What did you say?" I asked Nudge, taking the phone back.

"Nothing. Just hi."

Lucas had now calmed down and was watching TV. Fang had bought me a TV for our bedroom for Christmas. He says it is for me but he and Lucas watch it more. Right now Blue's Clues was on and Lucas was very interested in finding all of the paw prints.

"So what did you want?" I asked Nudge.

"Nothing, really. Just to talk."

"How's Amber?" I asked. Nudge had moved to California with Drake. He was now playing dad to Amber. Not step dad, just dad. "Her birthday's coming up."

"Yeah, I know. She has to be the best baby in the world."

I cleared my throat.

"I mean, best girl baby. Because Cody defiantly has best boy."

"Thank you."

Nudge laughed a little. "So how's Tabitha?"

"Fine, why?"

"It's just the last time I talked to her, she was upset."

"That's because Tommy's been upset."

"That's understandable. Him being upset, I mean."

"Well yeah. Let's be honest. Cameron raised him while his parents went all over the world, neglecting him."

Lucas jumped up and down. "Dere! Dere a c'ue!"

"Do you think…that she's dead?"

"I don't know, Nudge. I really don't. I hope not."

"Ya!" Lucas clapped his hands. "'Ind c'ue, Mommy."

"That's good, baby," I told him, only half listening. Me and Nudge talked for a few more minutes before she hung up. I was cuddling with Luke when Fang came in, Cody in his arms.

"Hey," he whispered, lying down on the bed and setting Cody next to Lucas.

"Hey," I said, leaning over the two brothers to kiss him. "You take the kids to school?"

"Yep."

"Good," I said, laying back down, this time facing Fang. Lucas patted Cody's stomach, giggling as the baby made a noise of annoyance.

"Stop it," Fang said, pushing Lucas gently. "That's a no-no."

Lucas frowned but just cuddled against me for protection. "Mommy."

"Don't yell at him, Fang," I said, kissing my baby's head.

"I wasn't."

I rolled my eyes, running a hand down Lucas's back. "Whatever."

Fang was silent for a minute before speaking. "I've been thinking."

"Call the army."

"Shut up, I'm being serious."

Knowing that I would regret it, I asked, "Thinking about what?"

"You're on the pill."

"Gee, really?"

"And, Cody's almost a year old."

"You're so smart," I teased.

"Shut up, alright?"

"Fine, keep going."

"Let's try for another."

"Another what?"

"Baby."

"Ew. No."

"Max-"

"No, Fang," I told him, burying my head in Lucas's head. He thought that I was hugging him so he giggled.

"Why not?"

"For one, now is not a good time to have a baby."

"…Why?"

"Cameron is-"

"Not our problem. Max, I get it. You two had gotten close, whatever," Fang said. "And I mean, I feel horrible about how this has all played out but I'm not going to put our life on hold anymore. If she ever comes back, great. I'll be the first to hug her if you want. But if she doesn't…we have to move on at some point. Life goes on."

"No, Fang."

"Yes."

I looked up at him. "Why do you always want me pregnant? Do pregnant women turn you on or something?"

"No. But I just like having kids."

"Isn't Cody enough for you?"

"Cody, Lucas, Tabitha, and Tyler are all enough. But I still want another."

"Why?"

"I don't know. We have the room."

"But not the money."

"Says who?"

I looked at him in shock. "Fang, we can't even have all our kids in the same car because it's too small."

"So if I buy another car, we can have another baby?"

"No!"

He huffed. "I want another one, Max. Why don't you?"

"Because I have had enough kids in a lifetime, thank you."

"You've had two-"

"Three you fuck ass."

He looked up. "I forgot to add Cody-"

"Liar. You forgot Kevin."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did. You always do."

"Max, I will never forget him."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Fang."

"I won't!"

Lucas touched Cody's stomach, making him make a noise again.

"Lucas, would you fucking stop?" Fang yelled.

"Ah!" Lucas began to cry. "Mommy!"

I glared at Fang. "Say sorry. You do not curse at our kids."

Fang sighed, reaching over Cody to take Lucas. After kissing the toddler's cheek, he said, "I'm sorry."

Lucas giggled, already done. Such a freaking drama queen.

* * *

We were at the store when it happened. Fang was restocking and me and Bone were at the counter. Lucas was playing with his toys when he tripped in fell.

"Are you okay, baby?" I asked him.

"Fuck," he said, standing up. My eyes shot open.

"What did he just say?" Fang got up, coming over to us. "Lucas-"

"Fuck," he said again, shaking his head. "Fuck."

"See what you did?" Fang turned to look at Bone. "I let you around him for-"

"Fang, he didn't learn that from Bone," I said. "That's your favorite word."

"What? I never-"

"Fuck, Daddy," Lucas said, looking up at him. "Fall. Fuck."

Fang picked him up. "We do not say that word."

Lucas frowned. "Fuck!"

"No!"

He was upset that Fang screamed at him. "Mommy!"

I got up and took him from Fang. "See? You can't even be nice to the kids we have now. No way am I having another."

"Want more?" Bone asked as he took Lucas from me.

"Fang does."

"Good. Girl."

"Tabitha is enough girl for the whole house."

Bone shook his head. "Have a girl."

"Bone, it's not like I choose."

"Keep having them until you get one."

"I second that," Fang said, going to get Cody out of his carrier to change his diaper.

"Well I don't."

"You're out voted," Bone told me.

"Let's just see how my mother votes, 'kay Fang?"

He frowned at me before taking Cody into the back.

* * *

"Well I don't know why Mrs. Baylor didn't want you," Mr. Harry told Tyler as he sat next to the boy, coloring with him. "You're very well behaved to me."

Tyler smiled broadly. He liked Mr. Harry. And not just because Alex was in the class…well maybe that helped a little…or a lot. Tabitha, who was on the other side of the room, was glaring over at her brother. He had been in the class for a week now and she hated him. With a passion.

Alex giggled. "Tyler's always behaved."

"Yeah," Tyler said, continuing to color. "I'm very well behaved."

Alex giggled again. "Yeah."

"Are you two fibbing to me?"

"No," Alex said, still giggling.

"Alex, get to work," Tyler said. "You have to keep making the posters for my band."

Max was out of the band and Tyler never saw Damien anymore but Bone was still on and he let Lucas sing. They had a pretty good thing going. Bone said that they needed a bassist and Tyler was already training Cody. Sure, he didn't know what a bassist did or why they needed one but he would whisper the word bass in Cody's ear every day.

How else do you make good bassists?


	2. Chapter 2

Living

Chapter 2

Today I wanted a drink. Not saying that I'm having one, just saying that I want one. Too bad Fang hasn't yelled at me yet… Yes, this stupid deal is still on and I'm fucking hating it at the moment. I don't get it. Some days, the thought of a beer repulses me. Then I have days like today and I can't stand it. What would one drink do? I mean, really?

"Max-"

"What?" I snapped. Then I looked up and realized it was Tabitha.

"I'm sorry. I just-"

"No," I said, shaking my head a little. That's what's wrong with one drink. "What did you need, Tabs?"

"I wanted to take Tank for a walk."

I looked at the TV. It was the news. When did it change to that? "Yeah, alright. Who's home?"

"Daddy's in the attic, Tyler went over to Alex's and is spending the night, Cody is over there," she said, pointing to the playpen, "and Lucas is with Daddy."

"Go tell Daddy to come down here for a second."

She ran off. When she returned, Fang was with her.

"What could you possibly want right now?"

I glanced at him. "That wouldn't be yelling, would it? Because if it is, I would gladly except a drink."

"…What do you want?"

"Take Cody upstairs with you. I'm taking Tabitha to take Tank for a walk."

Fang went over to the playpen. "Hi, Cody. Is Mommy being mean to us? Huh?"

Rolling my eyes, I got up to go get my shoes. "What's today, Fang?"

"Friday."

"Right, okay," I said, shaking my head.

"Month?"

"June, baby," he told me, frowning. Right. June. The kids last day was today. Tyler had been upset about not being able to see Mr. Harry anymore. Fang looked worried.

"Hold on, Tabitha," he said. "I just remembered something. Come here, Max."

I followed him to the kitchen. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Fine-"

"Max."

Sighing, I said, "It's just…I really want a drink."

"Max-"

"No, Fang. I'm just telling you. I know, I know. I can't have one. That doesn't mean that I don't want one."

Fang bounced Cody when he got whiny. "Are you sure you want to take her and the dog for a walk? I can if you're having trouble."

"No," I told him. "I'm fine. My head's just…I don't know. Scrambled I guess. Besides, taking her will give me something to do. I've been staring at the TV all day."

Fang kissed my head. "Fine. Go. Say bye-bye, Cody."

Lucas was one for prompting. He wanted to please so that he could get praise. Cody just stared at Fang. He couldn't careless about praise. All he wanted was food, a clean diaper, and a place to sleep.

Fang sighed. "Well, he's thinking it."

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes. I gave Cody a kiss. "Come on, Tabby!"

She ran in there, though I know she was eavesdropping. Tabitha knows a lot more than she should but I think that's okay. She's smart. She's probably my smartest kid. Which has something to do with the fact she's a girl, I bet.

Tabitha had Tanks leash, already prepared. "Okay. Ready."

Cody laid his head on Fang's shoulder, having given up on getting a place to sleep. So he went to sleep on Fang's shoulder instead. After giving him a kiss, I took Tabitha outback to get Tank. The dog liked our new house, I think. The old owners of the house not only left behind that dreaded drum set but also an old wooden dog house. The name Buddy was spray painted on the top but Tank didn't seem to care any.

"Tank!" Tabitha called. The dog slowly walked out of his dog house. He stretched before running over to us. "Hi, Tank. Did you miss me?"

The dog sniffed her and then me before sitting so that I could put his collar on. He's getting older so he's becoming more well behaved. Thank God. Controlling a dog is not fun.

* * *

Around seven that night, it started misting. Damien was walking into his apartment building when it started. Cameron loved the rain. He shook his head, continuing to go into the apartment building. It was a long, slow walk up the stairs. The elevators had been broken for years and had just been fixed a month ago but old habits die hard.

When he got to his apartment, his sister was waiting for him. She was on the couch, James in her lap.

"Can you say hi to Uncle Damien," his sister encouraged the nine month old. James frowned up at his mother. Did she not see that he was trying to blow a spit bubble? Geez.

Damien ignored them, going into the kitchen. He was getting Peter fresh water when his sister spoke again.

"Damien, James wants you to-"

"I don't give a fuck about what he wants me to do! I'm not in the mood to take over for Goddamn Luther, alright? Go take him to his father."

"Damien, I'm just trying to-"

"I don't give a damn, alright?"

"Fine, I'll just leave-"

"Good. Me and Peter don't need you," he said, looking around for the cat. Tammie walked out of the house with James. Sighing, Damien went into his bedroom. Peter was napping, like always.

"Tired?" Damien asked the cat, coming to get into bed with him. "Because I am. Today sucked."

The cat purred as Damien began to stroke his back.

"I love you, Peter. Don't worry. Cammie'll be back soon. I just know it."

* * *

It started to mist at first. Then pour. I walk the damn dog once and a while and look where it gets me. I'm never doing anything nice for the stupid animal again.

"Max, Tank is scared of rain," Tabitha complained. I sighed, taking him into the kitchen. With the drums in the garage, I wasn't sure where I should put him.

"Fang!" I yelled, holding the dog so that he couldn't get the kitchen all muddy. Fang came into the room carrying Cody, Lucas hanging onto his leg.

"Go get me a towel so that I can clean the dog off," I said, mad that I was soaked and having to hold onto a stupid muddy beast. I hate dogs. Fang put Cody down before going off to get one. He returned with two.

"One for you and the dog, Max," he told me. "And one for you, baby."

Tabitha giggled, taking it from him. "Thank you, daddy."

He smiled at her before picking Cody up again. 'See, Max? I'm great with kids. I deserve a few more."

Rolling my eyes, I cleaned the dog off, which turned out to be harder than I thought.

"Tank bad," Lucas said, wagging his finger at the dog. "Got moody."

Fang walked out of the room. After I was done with the dog, I let him go and he ran into the living room.

"Tank!" Lucas ran after him. Tabitha giggled.

"We're all dirty," Tabby told me.

"Yeah," I said. "I'm going to go take a shower, alright? Then I'll see about making dinner."

"Okay."

"Go get cleaned up," I told her before walking out of the room. After I showered, I went into the kitchen to figure out what was for dinner. I came upon the same decision almost always do. Hotdogs and macaroni and cheese.

"What are we eating?" Fang asked me after I had put the hotdogs in the pot on the stove.

"Hotdogs and-"

"Max."

"Shouldn't have left me in charge of dinner."

He went over to me and pulled me to him. "You are the worst cook."

"Never denied it."

Mumbling against my neck, he told me, "I'm going to teach you, one day."

"One day," I agreed.

* * *

Around ten, there was a knock on the door. Lucas was sleeping of Fang's chest and woke up. "Foo'?"

"It's not breakfast time," I told him, going to open the door. It was Luther.

"What?" I asked. "Fang and I are watching a m-"

"They got her. He's getting a ticket now to-"

"Luther, what are you talking about?"

"Hi!" Lucas called to him.

"Cameron," Luther kept on. "They found her."

I frowned. "Seriously?"

"Yes!"

"Where is she?"

"Ohio. Paul called Damien."

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know. He just said that they found her and then hung up. He's going down there."

"To Ohio? Tonight?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Fang got up off the couch. "But she's alive?"

"Yeah, I think. He's phone's off now."

I smiled. "This is great!"

"Yeah…"

"…Why are you here? You couldn't have just called?"

"I kind of wanted to see Tabitha."

I moved aside, letting him come in. Lucas, who was now on the floor, started jumping up and down.

"Lu'er!"

"Hey, Lucas," he said, coming to pick the boy up. "Cameron's back!"

"Can'on ack!"

"Yeah," he said, giving the baby a kiss.

"Luther, he was sleeping."

"Oh, shut up," Fang said, no malice in his voice. He kissed me. "Be happy for once."

"I am for Cameron but not for Lucas. He needs to sleep."

Apparently ignoring me, Luther put the baby on his shoulders before starting for upstairs. Fang kissed me again.

"Damien'll be okay now," he said.

"I don't know…she's been gone for almost six months, Fang. That's a long time."

"And?"

"And what if she's…different? She has to be different."

Fang shrugged. "She's still her. You went away and you're…bad example."

I punched him.

"Hey! No hitting," Fang said. I saw his hand start to rub his arm but stop, not wanting me to think that I could hurt him.

* * *

Damien was nervous as he walked through the hospital, towards Cameron's room. He had gotten a flight at around four in the morning and it was now ten. Cameron was found on Wednesday but it wasn't until Friday anyone ever called him. He wasn't complaining though. At least he was going to get Cameron back.

He paused at the door. What would he say? What would he do? Taking a deep breath, he walked in. Paul was there but Damien wasn't focused on him, not in the slightest. Cameron looked so…small. At the moment, she was talking to Paul.

"And, I'm away from everyone in North Carolina. I would never-" She paused when she saw him. "Damien…"

"H-Hey," he mumbled, going over to her. As soon as he was in reach, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his neck.

"You came."

"Of course," he told her, just as breathless as she was.

Paul moved towards the door. "I'll see you later Cameron, alright? I'm going to get breakfast, okay?"

Neither heard him. He sighed before leaving.

Still hugging her, he said, "How long until you get out of here?"

"Twelve. I need to stay in Ohio for a day or two."

"Why?"

Cameron removed her arms from around him, not answering his question. "I like your beard."

"What?"

"Your beard."

"Oh…I just don't have time to shave anymore."

"What have you been doing?"

Sleeping. Eating. Sleeping… "I don't know."

She looked away from him. "How's Peter?"

"Good."

"That's good."

He sighed. "Cameron…can I ask-"

"No."

"Oh," he said, blushing.

Cameron shook her head. What do you say, now? She was glad he was here, sure. More than happy. But she wasn't sure what to do with him now. She really wanted to feel close to him but, at the moment, she couldn't feel further away. What would he say when he found out? About everything? That's when she realized he was talking. What was he even saying?

"-so I started buying him them but I don't really talk to him anymore. Not that I ever did. I mean, he's cool for a five year old. Six year old? I don't know. You would know-"

"What are you talking about? Tommy?"

"Yeah…"

"His birthday's in May," she told him, not even sure if that was relevant but it sounded like it was.

"Oh," Damien said. He was just filling time. He wanted her home…wait, where was home? He couldn't decide that without even knowing what happened to her.

There was a knock on the door before it opened. A woman walked in. She smiled at Cameron.

"Are you feeling up to identifying today?"

Cameron locked eyes with her. "You've got him?"

"Yes."

She moved closer to Damien. "Why do I have to identify him?"

"It would help the case."

Glancing at her boyfriend for a second, she asked, "Can he come?"

"Yeah, sure. He can't go into the room with you but he can come down to the station," the woman said, who Damien had decided was a cop. He was basically jumping out of his skin. Wanting to know what happened was infiltrating his brain.

* * *

"Yeah," Cameron said into the phone. "I miss you too, Tommy. Yes. I'll see you soon, alright? I love you. Bye."

Damien was laying on the bed opposite of the one she was on. He wasn't sure what boundaries were anymore. He knew a little bit more about what happened but not a lot.

Cameron sighed, looking over at him. "Tommy says hi."

"Oh."

She laid down. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"…Do you want to come over here?"

"Do you want me over there?"

"Would I ask if I didn't?"

He got up and laid down on the hotel bed next to her. "I have it, you know."

"…Have what?"

"The cross necklace."

She looked into his eyes. "What?"

"The one that I-"

"I know which one! What do you mean you have it?" She asked, trying to think back to that day but then deciding not to.

"It was in the bathroom. You must have forgotten to put it on that day," he said. "I have it."

"Where?"

He reached into his pocket. "I knew that you'd want it so I brought it."

She gave him one of that only smiles he had seen out of her today. "Thank you."

He started to put it around her neck but she moved away. "Sorry."

"No, it's just…I'll put it on."

"Okay," he said, handing it over. Why was she nervous around him? He was still the same Damien, right? He wasn't the one that did something wrong. "Your rings-"

"I don't have the engagement ring anymore. I'm sorry," she said, her voice changing pitches. He frowned.

"I was just going to say that I was getting you another one."

"Oh…I just thought…"

"Cameron, all I need is you. Now that I have you back, all that other stuff doesn't matter."

He was suddenly too close. She moved back a little bit. "I…Did you go to Wrestlemania?"

"What?"

"Those tickets that I got. Did you go?"

"No," he said, frowning at her. "I couldn't."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why? Cameron, you were-"

"You don't even know half of what I was doing so don't say a thing."

"Then tell me," he tried.

She looked away. "He wanted a wife."

"Who?"

"His name was Tristan," she said. "He was going to kill me too. He…I don't know. He had me and was going to…and then after he said that I was the one."

Damien stared at her. "So it was something you did or-"

"I don't know, Damien," she snapped.

"Sorry," he said, trying to backtrack. "I just was trying to-"

"Stop, alright? I don't feel like talking about it anymore," she said, not wanting to reveal too much. It was over now but not for long. She had to tell Damien the biggest secret of all at some point but when?

"Okay," he said, just wanting her to feel alright. "Want to watch TV?"

"No."

"Um…Cody's birthday is coming up."

"So?"

He blushed. "I was just trying to keep you up on things."

After seeing his face, she felt a little bad. Not a lot but a little. "Did you get him a gift or what?"

"Well, no. I haven't really seen him in awhile."

"Why not?"

"I…don't really leave my apartment all that much."

She looked away from him. "So you're back at your apartment?"

"Yeah, Cameron. Where did you want me to go? I couldn't stay…there."

Closing her eyes tightly, she said, "Go back to the other bed. Please."

Damien got up slowly. "Sorry if I-"

"You didn't," she told him. Out of nowhere she felt unsafe. Why was she already out of the hospital. Why? All she wanted was to go…where did she want to go? Away from here.

Damien got back into the other bed. "I love, Cameron. More than anything or anyone."

"Please, just stop talking."

He frowned but listened to her. After ten minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Cam? It's me, Paul. Open up."

"Get the door, Damien," she said, still not moving. He did so, opening it for Paul.

"Hey," Paul said to him before going over to Cameron. "Are you okay?"

"Fine. Go away."

"No," he said. "I'm going to take you to eat."

"Me and Damien aren't hungry."

Paul glanced at Damien before looking back down at her. "Did you talk to Trent?"

"Yeah. He's going to see me when I get home."

"Jackass. I told him to get his ass-"

"No cursing," Damien said, making Paul look hard at him.

"You? _You're_ telling _me_ that?"

Cameron finally opened her eyes and turned to look at her brother. "Damien does not cuss."

"Yes he does," Paul said. "More than anyone I've ever heard."

Cameron's eyes found her boyfriend. "Well…he was stressed. He doesn't normally do it. So, if he says no cussing, he means it."

Even after all that happened, she was still the one defending him. Unbelievable. Paul shook his head.

"Well, I'll just crash here until you're hungry," he said, starting to sit on the bed opposite of hers.

"That's Damien's bed," she said.

"What?"

"That is Damien's bed and this is my bed, which means there is not a bed for you."

"Cameron-"

"I'll call you if I need you, alright?" She said, just wanting him gone. She didn't' like this many guys around. Not that she didn't trust the two of them it was just… She shook her head.

"Fine," Paul said, shooting Damien a look before leaving.

"Lay back down," Cameron told Damien. He laid on the bed next to her's. "You cuss now?"

"Well…sometimes." Liar. "But not anymore. I was just upset-"

"What about church?"

That was almost laughable. "No. I don't go anymore."

That was it. "Shave."

"What?"

"As soon as we get home, you're shaving. Then, you're going to church, cussing is done too."

"Okay."

"Good."

* * *

Lucas blew air into his cheeks before blowing it out in Snickers face. The cat hissed at him before running off.

"You leave the cat alone," I told him. "That's bad."

It was about a week since Damien had left to go get Cameron and now she was coming home. Sure, I'm glad for her. Ecstatic even. But I just wasn't in the mood to play with Lucas. He's always into something and it's normally going to hurt him at some point, i.e. the cat.

Giggling, Lucas crawled up onto the couch. "Mommy."

"What?"

"Pay?"

"No. I'm busy," I said, still watching TV. Bone, who was passed out on my floor, chose then to wake up. He groaned.

"What time is it?"

"Around four."

He yawned, sitting up. "Why?"

"Are you here? You came over all mad and stuff. I don't know."

Lying back down, he asked for a blanket. Lucas got up and dutifully got him one, trying to cover him over.

"Thanks, Cross," Bone mumbled. Lucas clapped his hands at the praise before forcing himself into Bone's arms, cuddling into the man's arms.

I rolled my eyes. Tyler walked into the room.

"Okay, Bone and Lucas. Band practice!"

Bone closed his eyes tightly. "Not now."

"Yes n-"

"No, Tyler."

Ty crossed his arms. "Fine. You're out of the band."

I laid down. "Ty, go get me a coke, alright?"

"Diet?"

"Of course."

He walked out of the room, returning with one. "There."

I smiled before kissing his head. "Th-"

"Ew! Nasty!"

"Shut up and go away."

He frowned at me before going back upstairs. Lucas kissed Bone.

"Stop."

He did it again.

"Cross, stop it."

The baby giggled before licking him.

Bone sat up. "Stop."

Lucas smiled up at him. "No."

"Yes."

"What's your problem today?" I asked Bone. "What happened?"

"One of my uncles came by."

I closed my eyes. "You need to get them out of your life."

"They're family."

"Says who?"

Bone sighed, laying back down, not even saying anything as Lucas gave him a kiss. Once he got no reaction, Lucas made a noise of displeasure. After all, it's no fun to be annoying if you get no reaction.

* * *

The ride from the airport was a weird one. Very weird. Soon, she would be back in the exact same house that _he_ got her in. She couldn't stand the thought. It was killing her.

"Ready?" He asked as they sat in the car.

"…Yeah. Let's go," she said. Damien rushed out of the car to open her. It was weird for him too, walking back into the house. Paul was already flaked out on the couch. That eased the tension for Cameron a little.

"Paul, I'm here," she said.

He shot up. "Oh, hey. Just...napping."

"Yeah," she said, looking around. Then her eyes fell on the kitchen area. "I'm going to go upstairs. Come on, Damien."

"Okay," Paul called after them as she dragged him upstairs. "I'll just…nap."

Cameron ignored him, continuing up the stairs. She led Damien to their bedroom. "It's…nice, being back, I guess."

"Yeah," he said, though he knew they both were uneasy.

Cameron let go of his hand, going to lay down on the bed. "Come here."

He walked over to her and got into bed. "So what do you want to do?"

"Talk," she said, laying her head down on the pillow.

"About?"

She rolled her eyes. "We need to bring Peter home."

He smiled at her. "Yeah. He misses his mommy."

Mommy…Cameron shook her head. She was lucky that Damien still didn't know. She closed her eyes. She'd tell him tonight, Cameron decided.

"Go get him."

"What?"

"Right now. I want to nap anyways."

"But-"

"Damien, go get the cat."

He got up slowly. "Alright, alright."

It was about ten minutes after he had left the house when there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Cameron, can I come in?"

"Why?"

"I want to talk."

"About?"

"…The thing."

She jumped out of bed, opening the door. "It is not a thing."

"Yes it is. Cameron, do not get attached to it. Just…abort it."

"No!"

"Yes. Cameron, Damien's already proving a lot by staying with you. Don't make him raise that guy's baby too."

She crossed her arms. "It's not your choice. I'm going to talk to Damien about it."

"He won't want it. He'll tell you that it's your choice but he's lying."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Cameron said, closing the door in his face.

"Do you want me to leave?"

And leave her alone in this house? "No. Go downstairs. Watch TV or something."

* * *

"What do we say when we see her?" Fang asked Luther.

"Cameron? Shit if I know."

Fang shook his head. "I've always felt weird around her. I know that her and Damien are together now but she sure used to think that-"

"She doesn't even give a fuck about you anymore. Only Damien. If him, anymore."

"I bet she won't like sex anymore."

Luther shrugged. "It's not like they were fucking all the time anyways. Damien won't mind."

"Would you stay with her? I mean, she has to be messed up."

"I don't…no. Not without sex," Luther admitted. Hell, he couldn't even stop for a month. His whole life? Fuck no. "Would you?"

"For Max? Yeah. I could give up sex today if I thought she hated it. But she doesn't."

"You're lucky. You married a slut."

Fang frowned. "I did not. Just because you like sex doesn't make you a slut."

"If she cheated on you-"

"Why? She wouldn't."

"It was hypothetical, Fang."

"You can't even spell hypothetical!"

"Touché."

* * *

Cameron was sleeping when he came back into the room.

"Cameron?"

She shot up. When her eyes found him, she relaxed. "You jerk!"

"What? I just wanted to wake you up so you could see Peter," Damien said, coming over to the bed. He laid the cat down, who immediately went to lay next to Cameron. She ran a hand down his back, making the cat purr.

She smiled a little, kissing him. Damien got back into bed, laying so that he faced the two of them.

"I think that he's happy," Damien said.

"I know he is," she told him, continuing to pet him. Peter began to rub against her, meowing. "Really happy."

Damien closed his eyes. "What do you want to do now?"

"Just…stop asking that, alright?"

"Okay."

She huffed, looking back down at Peter. "I just really don't like hearing your voice."

"Alright."

"And life just sucks, okay? So stop acting like we're alright. We're not."

He nodded. "Okay."

"Stop saying okay! It's not okay."

"Cammie-"

"No."

"Just-"

"Stop," she said, pushing his hands away as he tried to touch her. "I don't like that."

"You used to."

"Yeah? Well I guess things change," she said, getting up. Damien was going to just play with Peter but she took him with her. The cat seemed to smirk at his master as she carried him away. Traitor.

* * *

"Hey," I said as Fang came into the house. He came over to the couch and gave me a kiss.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Fang frowned. "Why are you here?"

"We're family," Bone reasoned.

"No," Fang said. "We're not."

"Fang, leave him alone," I said, pulling his head back to mine. "You're are not proving yourself very kid friendly right now."

"Bone is not a kid."

"No, but Lucas is playing over there and he is."

Lucas, hearing his name, looked up. "Hi, Daddy!"

Fang kissed me again before going over to the baby. He was playing with his blocks but Fang took him away from them. "Hi, bubba."

Lucas giggled, patting Fang's head. "Daddy!"

"Remind," Bone said, getting up.

"Reminded you of what?"

"Jamisha isn't home. Have to go feed Nina and Bubba," he said, coming to give me a kiss. "Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye, Cross," he said, taking the toddler from Fang. Lucas giggled, kissing Bone. "Stop."

"Bye-bye, Boon."

"Uncle Boon."

"Un-al."

"Good boy," Bone said, handing him back over to his father. After he was gone, Fang put Lucas back down.

"You know I don't like him here."

"Are you yelling?"

"No."

"Good," I said, laying down. "Now, go back out to the car and go get something to eat."

"What? Max-"

"I've been watching kids all day. I didn't have time to think about food."

"Oh, whatever," he said, picking Lucas back up. He put his shoes on before taking the two year old with him out of the house. I'm honestly impressed with him. It's been almost half a year and we haven't had a drag out fight yet. If I was a nice person, I'd applauded him. But I'm a horrible person.

* * *

The kitchen. That's where he got her. Damien had already left and she had just taken Tommy to school when it happened. Cameron had left the backdoor open because she had let Peter outside and was going to follow him after she got a drink. He got in though.

The blood Damien had found was from him stabbing her. Not fatally, obviously. It was just cuts the man had made along her legs. They left scars but they healed. Not that it didn't hurt. Then after he had her…he raped her. She'd like to say the firs time was the worst, but each time had it's own thing that made it horrible. The second was when he told her she was the one. The third was when he made her do dirty things. The eighth was when he told her he was going to try and start a family with her. The twenty fifth was when he almost killed her for trying to escape. The list was endless.

Now, she was faced with going back into the kitchen. She wanted a drink but didn't want to go in there and get it. Damien was still upstairs and Paul was sleeping. She didn't want to wake him up.

"What's there to be afraid of?" She whispered to herself. She was the one who identified him. She knew that he was in custody. But still. It was scary. And it wasn't like it was the last time she'd have to see him. There was the trial and all that. It was scary. "Nothing to fear."

Once she was in there, she felt like she was going to have a panic attack but luckily she didn't. Peter followed her, jumping up onto the counter. He meowed, wanting her to pay him some attention. She closed her eyes, going to the fridge to get a soda. It was basically empty. Her brothers had cleaned her whole house and probably got rid of all the rotting food awhile ago. But there was a pack of Pepsi in there. She grabbed one before hurriedly rushing back into the living room. Peter flipped his tail in annoyance. This house was too big. Too much running. The fat cat decided to just forget her, going ahead and falling asleep.

Cameron sat down in the chair, taking a drink of her soda. Paul had fallen asleep with the TV on. It was Fear Factor. Great. Clearly Paul was taking care of her electric, water, and television bills.

"Are you okay?" Paul asked a few minutes later. He had woken up and was shocked to see her downstairs with him. "I thought you and Damien were-"

"I just wanted to be down here, alright?"

"Alright."

She took a sip of her drink. "You need to leave tonight."

"Why?"

"I want to talk with Damien."

"I don't like leaving you alone."

"I'm not alone. I have Damien."

"Alright-"

"Stop just agreeing with me."

"Okay."

"I'm serious."

He got up. "Do you want me to leave now?"

She pulled her knees to her chest, laying her head down. He was making things too complicated. Seeing this, Paul sat back down.

"I'm sorry," he told her.

"Shut up."

"Alright."

"Stop it!"

"What's wrong?" Damien said, rushing down stairs. "Cameron-"

"Would you all just shut up?"

Peter strode into the room, taking in the situation before jumping onto the back of the chair. He put his wet nose against Cameron's arm. She moved so that she could hold him against her stomach. He was so warm and nice.

Damien got nervous. Paul got remorseful.

"Cam, I'm seriously sorry if I upset you," her brother said. "I can leave-"

"Shut up and leave me alone."

He got up, turning off the TV. "I'll call you, okay? I'm going to stay at a hotel."

She said nothing as he left. Damien was tense.

"Do you want me to leave-"

"We need to talk."

He still didn't relax. He couldn't take another story about what had happened to her. But if it helped her, he'd listen to them all.

"Okay. Shoot."

She got up, pushing past him to start of the stairs. Curious, Damien followed her. She went into the bedroom, setting Peter down on the bed. She felt better, being far away from the kitchen.

"I have something to tell you," she began. Damien closed the door behind him.

"Is it good?"

"What do you think?"

She was so mean now. Damien frowned. "Okay. What is it?"

She stared at him for a second. She could just get an abortion without him knowing but doing something behind her back made it seem like she was doing something underhanded. And she wasn't. She didn't want that man's child at all. She had a right to get an abortion. But telling Damien at least made her feel better.

"I'm pregnant."

His first thought was that meant he was having a kid. Then he remembered that Cameron hadn't been around him for a long time. Long, long time.

She spoke again before he could. "Don't be mad at me."

He frowned. "What?"

"About the baby," she said. "I didn't want to be…he wanted me to be…he wanted me to have a kids with him. I never thought…it makes me so sick. What do you want to do?"

"What?"

"What do you want to do about it?"

What did she mean what did he want to do about it? He frowned more. "I can't do this."

"What?"

"I can't make a decision for you, Cameron. It's your choice, not mine."

"But Damien, I can't!"

He sighed, looking at her. "Then we'll keep it."

"Keep what?"

"The baby, Cameron. I mean, it's your baby too, not just his."

"What do you mean keep it?"

Damien nodded at her, suddenly feel more confident. Then he ran to the bathroom to puke.

"See? You know what we have to do."

Damien was still puking. After he was done, he looked up at her. "What?"

"Damien-"

He still felt sick. "How long have you known?"

"I figured it out probably two weeks before I escaped but I wasn't sure until the Thursday after I escaped."

"And you're just now telling me?"

She frowned. "Don't talk to me like that."

He got up and went over to the sick. After splashing water on his face, he spoke again. "Cameron, I'm sorry, alright? I'm just…wow."

"It's not that big of deal. People do it all the time."

He frowned. "Raise other people's kids?"

"No! Get abortions."

"But we're not doing that," he reminded her.

"Damien-"

"At least give birth and then give it up for-"

"Damien, do you know how hard this is for me? I'm carrying around that _things_ child."

"I don't see it like that. I think of it as our baby."

"What? How would that even-"

"Because it's your baby, Cameron. What's yours is mine."

"I'm getting rid of it."

He shrugged, looking in the mirror at himself. "I support you, either way."

"Damien, don't do that to me. Tell me that I'm doing the right thing."

"You're doing the right thing."

"You have to mean it when you say it!"

He sighed, finally looking at her. "You're doing the right th-"

"No I'm not! I'm a horrible person."

Damien walked over to her, giving her a hug. "No you're-"

"Ew. Your breath smells horrible," she said before laughing. Laughing hard. Damien was confused. Why was she laughing. That quickly faded as she began to cry, leaning into his chest.

"Shhh," he whispered, rubbing her back gently.

"I can't do this. I just can't."

"You're going to that counselor in a the day after tomorrow, right?"

She sniffled, leaning heavily against him. "Yeah."

"Talk to her about it."

She looked up at him. "Will you stay with me?"

"Tonight? Yeah."

"No. I mean either way. If I get rid of it you won't look at me funny?"

"No, of course not. You shouldn't have to take care of it. It's his fault, not yours. You, if anyone, deserve to have an abortion."

"But?" She looked up at him.

"But, if you keep it…then keep it. I'm with you one hundred percent."

Closing her eyes, she said, "I hate you for making me decide."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are. But it's fine."

He kissed her head. Cameron flinched away. That was the first time he had kissed her since she had been back.

"Can we not…do that? For awhile?"

He blushed. Great. She was afraid of him. "Yeah, of course."

She removed herself from him. "Is your stomach better?"

Nodding a little, he followed her. "Yeah."

"Good."

Peter, who had fallen bored with their talking, had gone to sleep. Cameron got into bed with the cat.

"You sleep downstairs, on the couch," Cameron told Damien.

He held in the frown. "Alright. Are you hungry? I could-"

"No. Go away now," she said.

He frowned. "Can I take Peter?"

She shrugged. "If you want."

He went to get the cat but it hissed at him. Cameron smiled while Damien just frowned. His girlfriend was raped for six months, is having her rapists child, and his cat hates him. Life sucks.

* * *

Luther came to our house at eleven at night. Fang and I were…busy when he decided to start banging on our door. Seeing as the last time he did this it was important, I hurriedly slipped on a shirt and panties before running to the front door, Fang not far behind me. Of course, I didn't know it was Luther until I opened the door but I figured it was either him or Bone.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Is Cameron-"

"You have to let me stay here tonight."

Fang, who was the one…doing something when we heard the banging was out of breath. Out of shape much…

"What?" Fang asked, breathing heavily.

Luther frowned. "Was I interrupting that baby making?"

"What do you want?" I repeated.

"To crash here."

Fang frowned, noticing that I was just in my underwear and a shirt that showed my stomach.

"Why?" Fang asked, pulling me closer to him.

"My dad. Look, can I come in?"

Fang and I moved aside. I pushed Fang away from me. "Why can't you just stay at the store?"

"He'll find me there. Who do you think gives me money to keep that place alive half the time?"

I frowned. "So I'm guessing he went to your house?"

"Yeah. I heard him knocking and looked out the window before I even opened it, thank God. You know, it's really risky, opening doors like you do, Max. Anyone can be on the other side. I don't want to see you-"

"Luther."

"Right, sorry," he said, shaking his head. "So he was out there. I woke up Tammie, told her to answer the door and then climbed out a window."

"What does he want?" Fang asked, clearly annoyed.

"Not sure but can't be good," Luther said, headed up the stairs. "I'll be on the floor in Tabitha's room if you need me. I know you guys aren't into three-"

"Shut up before I kick you out," Fang said, closing and locking the front door. Then he looked at me. "Were we making a-"

"No. I told you, I'm staying on the pill until you prove yourself worthy."

He frowned, following me back down the hallway.

* * *

Damien was asleep downstairs when the doorbell rang. He shot up, thinking it was Paul.

"Hey- Whoa."

Trent walked in, carrying his rifle with him. "Shut the fuck up."

"Damien, is that Paul?" Cameron yelled, coming down the stairs. She had been watching TV, trying to decide if she should wake up Damien to get her food or not when the doorbell rang.

"No! That pansy called and said he left you alone with this one so I came to watch over you."

"Trent," she groaned, walking down the stairs. She stopped short. "Is that a gun?"

"Yep."

"Why?" She asked, looking at Damien. He looked scared.

"To protect you. These idiots and good at it. Clearly."

She had a headache. A bad one. "Damien, make him leave."

Trent laughed. "I'd like to see him try."

Damien bucked up a little but then Trent came over to him and he almost wet himself. Cameron took a deep breath.

"Fine, Trent. You sleep down here. Come on, Damien."

He ran after her up the stairs. "I don't like guns."

"Neither do I," she said, letting him come into the bedroom with him.

"Do you want me to sleep on the floor?" He asked. She didn't really want him in bed with her but she didn't want him alone in the house with Trent around. She knew he'd never hurt her but she was afraid for her boyfriend.

"No. Get into bed with me and Peter."

He went to the bathroom first. Trent really did scare him. Luckily, he had faced enough bullies throughout high school and was able to control his bladder when in danger. And they say being a nerd gives you nothing in life.


	3. Chapter 3

Living

Chapter 3

Lucas loves his birthday. Cody was whatever about his. So, Lucas seemed to take that to mean he could just have a second party.

"Me par-ee!"

"No," I told him for the thousandth time. "It's Cody's party. Yours is in December. You know, right before Christmas?"

"Ciss-mass? Daddy! Ciss-mass!"

"You're confusing him, Max," Fang told me.

"Well he needs to stop saying that it's his birthday. It's Cody's."

Lucas got bored with my talking as started chewing on his stuffed cat's ear. I rolled my eyes.

There was a knock on the door. It was Luther and Tammie, James in her arms.

"Me par-ee!" Lucas exclaimed to them, running over.

Luther smiled. "I know it is. I got you a gift-"

"It's Cody's birthday," I reminded him.

"I know. But I also know that Lucas gets jealous so I bought him something too."

Lucas started bouncing. "Par-ee!"

"Did I get a gift?" Tyler asked from the couch. "Did Snickers get a gift? Did Alex? No. Because you're a jerk and I hate you."

With that, he stomped up stairs. Alex giggled, running after him. His cat apparently didn't get the memo because she stayed where she was.

"Snickers!"

The cat slowly went to the stairs, where I had to lift her over the safety gate. Sure, she could jump it but that would mean work. I'm with her a hundred percent. Damn gates… Tyler was waiting at the top of the stairs to lift her over the gat on those too. Then he led his one willing and one unwilling followers into his bedroom.

"More cake for us," Luther shrugged, coming into the house. Lucas was still bouncing. I don't know why him getting presents made me mad but it did. I love Lucas but he is spoiled. This isn't helping any.

Tammie frowned. "I'll be back. I'm going to see Tyler."

She handed James to Luther before starting up the stairs. After he heard a bedroom door close, Luther exhaled.

"Thank God. She is annoying the fuck out of me. I don't get why she can't just move out. I'm not getting sex out of-"

"Luther, I'm still on the stairs, jackass! Tabitha just came out of her bedroom."

"…Hi Tabby!"

"Fuck you, Luther," Tammie yelled. This time we knew she made it to a bedroom because the door slammed. Tabitha came down the stairs.

"Hi."

Luther sat down the presents and James, no longer caring about either seeing as Tabitha was here. Cody, who was half asleep in his playpen, made a noise. James began to crawl over there.

"Me par-ee!" Lucas yelled at James.

James was still trying to get over to Cody. I picked him up and put him in there. Content, Cody went back to sleep, his friend following suit. Great. Cody's converting baby's the ideal world of never being awake.

Bone didn't even knock. He just walked in.

"You need to learn to knock," Fang complained.

"Family doesn't knock."

I smiled, going to hug him. "Hi."

Bone gave me a kiss on the head.

"Boon, me par-ee!" Lucas told him, coming over to us.

Bone let me go to pick him up. "I got you a gift."

"Why the hell are you all giving him stuff? Huh? It's not his party."

"If this is you not pregnant Max, I support you in not getting pregnant."

"Shut the hell up, Luther."

Fang sat down on the couch. "Where are the gifts, Bone?"

He moved Lucas to one arm so that he could open the front door to go outside.

"Tyler doesn't share," Bone told me once he returned, as if that explained his gift.

"I do not want a second cat," I said, looking at it. It was in Bone's other arm, scared of all the people. Lucas touched it.

"It's a kitty, Luther," Tabitha said. "Can I hold it?"

"No. It's Lucas's. You have the dog," Bone said, setting Lucas down, along with the cat.

"I am not having another animal in my house," Fang said.

Bone shrugged. "That's fine. Max and Lucas can come live with me."

"Are you brain dead? Why do you always say that?" Fang was getting agitated.

"If I say it enough, it'll get forced into your thoughts and you'll start to believe it," Bone said.

"No, I won't."

He shrugged. "Or Max'll listen to me for once and leave you."

"Stop it," I said. "You need to be kid friendly, Fang."

He frowned. Lucas wasn't paying attention to any of us. He was playing with his kitten. It was orange so there was no way I would mix it up with Snickers when it got older. Yes, I say older because we are keeping it. Who cares what Fang thinks?

Lucas sniffed his cat, laughing a little. Smiling proudly, Bone went into the kitchen.

"Where's the cake?"

I rolled my eyes. This time, when there was a knock on the door, I knew it had to be mom. I opened it and was pleasantly surprised.

"Hi, Cameron," I said, staring at her. I hadn't seen her at all since she got back. No one had. "I didn't think you and Damien were coming."

She shrugged. "Damien felt bad about not seeing Cody in awhile."

Tommy was with them, holding his aunt's hand tightly. Tabitha smiled when she saw him and he smiled too but didn't let go of her hand.

"Go play," Cameron told him, letting his hand go. He and Tabitha ran off up the stairs, making Luther frown.

"Him? Over me?"

"Who's cat?" Damien asked, walking into the house. Cameron and I hugged before she came in too, closing the door behind her.

"Lucas's," I said, shaking my head. "Bone bought it for him."

"…It's Cody's birthday," Damien said, looking confused.

"We got him gifts anyways," Luther said. "So he didn't feel left out."

"No, you did and Bone probably just found the cat on the street and didn't want to leave it there."

From the kitchen, Bone yelled, "True!"

"That thing was out on the street?" Fang rushed to pick up Lucas. "It could have rabies."

"Chill," Bone said, coming into the room with a soda. "No rabies. Found him a few days ago and took him to the vet."

"So was I supposed to get him a present or not?" Damien asked.

"No."

"Alright then," he said, setting a bad down that probably had Cody's gift in it.

Alex came downstairs. "Tyler says that he is on strike until his…Tyler! What was the word?"

Apparently, he was at the top of the stairs, listening.

"Hold on. I'll ask Tammie."

Alex stood there waiting. Then she noticed the cat.

"Tyler! There's a kitty!"

He came running down the stairs. "For who?"

"Lucas," Bone told him.

"See? That's why I hate you all."

Damien frowned. "I didn't get him a present, Tyler."

"I know. Because you're a good person," Tyler said, walking over to him. "I haven't seen you but, just so you know, the spot in my band is still open."

Damien smiled at him. "Thanks."

He then turned to Cameron. "You can be our singer because Lucas is a traitor."

She hugged Tyler. He frowned but let her.

"See, Max? That's what a real singer would do. They would thank the band leader."

Alex was playing with the cat. "What's her name?"

"It's a boy," Bone said.

"Oh. What's his name?"

"Well," Tyler began. "Naming him is part of my grievances."

"Tyler, grievances are things you've suffered through," I told him.

"I am suffering! Besides Damien and Cameron, you all treat me horribly. I'm telling Dr. Martinez on you."

"Ooh, I tremble with fear," I mocked. He took me literally.

"As you should. She spanks really hard," he said before picking up the cat. "Come on, Alex. I'm taking this as Snickers clone. This cat is now mine, Alex's, Spiderman's, and Shakira's."

"No, it's not," I said, taking it from him. He stomped his foot.

"I hate you!" He yelled at me before running off. I think I embarrassed him in front of Alex. She smiled at me.

"He says that to me too," she told me before following him. "Ty! Wait! Can't we at least get cake?"

"No!"

Lucas looked up at me. "Me par-ee? Me kit-ee?"

I gave him the cat back. Might as well be his party. Cody's sleeping through it anyways.

* * *

"Do you think that they know?"

Damien was busy reading his bible, making up for lost time. "What?"

"About the baby," she said from the bathroom where she was looking in the mirror at herself.

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Well I don't want them to know yet. Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"In case I decide to…get rid of it."

He was in bed, trying to read and she just wouldn't leave him alone. "I thought you and that counselor decided that we were keeping it?"

"Well I just like to keep my options open, alright?"

He shrugged. "Whatever."

"Are you mad at me? You told me that you'd be behind me no matter what I decided."

"I am."

"Good."

Peter, who was in the bathroom sink watching Cameron, meowed. She sighed, leaning down to kiss the black cat's head. He gratefully licked her back.

"Lucas looked happy with that cat," Damien commented.

"I'm with Max. They treat Lucas like a king."

"Cody was sleeping. So what if they let Lucas open his presents?"

"My mother used to do that Trent like that."

"Let him open your presents?"

"No. Spoiled him."

Damien looked up. "How are you all related? Trent is older than you, right?"

She sighed, picking up Peter and carrying him into the other room. Getting into bed with him, she began. "My mom was married to Paul and my father when she started having an affair with Trent's father. She left Paul and my dad for him and then had Trent. My father and her had never had a divorce so when she left Trent's dad, she just moved back in with Paul and my father. Then she had me and decided my father wasn't good enough but Trent's. She took Paul with her this time and left me. Later, she came back and went to court for me and got me too. My parents finally divorced and then she married my step father, Trent's dad."

"Paul doesn't like him, right?"

"Nope. He hates him and the feeling is mutual."

"What about you? Do you like him?"

She shrugged. "I guess. I'm not really fond of any of my parents."

"Did your step dad remarry?"

"No. Who else would want him? If you ever met him, you'd understand Trent. My mother treated him so much better than me and Paul."

"Why?"

"Because we were Patrick's children. You'd think my father was the wrong one. Never cheated, let her blow his money, tried to make things work, took her back, wanted to be a good step father to Trent. But you know, she wanted us to think that he was the devil."

"But you just said that you're not fond of him either."

"I'm not. I mean, he's my dad but…I don't know. They all say I'm cold but I'm not. Not everyone has to love their family just because they're blood."

"But you love me," Damien said as if it were a fact. And it was. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Of course."

"And Peter."

The cat purred as Cameron began to pet him. "I think he likes me better than you."

"I think so too."

* * *

Luther was on our couch. Tammie had already left…with Justin. I reasoned with her to leave James behind but that's about it. They ruined Cody's party. Lucas was more upset over this though.

Bone was smoking outback while watching Tabitha and Tommy play and Alex and Tyler were doing something in the garage that had to do with his band. Cameron and Damien left right after Justin showed up. Cameron didn't feel comfortable around guys she didn't know, I think. Personally, I don't feel comfortable around any of these guys.

"Why? Why? Am I not a good father? I buy her anything she asks for. I let her stay in my house. The other day, she told me my maid, one of the best I've ever had I mind you, dressed too slutty. I fired her and hired back the old, nasty looking one. All for her," Luther said, as if that were the ultimate test of love. "Why him? She doesn't live him. How can-"

"Would you shut up?"

I was in shock. "Mom-"

"I'm sorry but he whines too much."

Lucas, who was in her lap, began to clap his hands. "Gwan-ma!"

Fang walked in with even more cake. "Thanks for the cake, Dr. Martinez. You make the best everything."

"Your welcome, Fang."

Luther just moaned. "Why me?"

I was curled up in Fang's chair and Mom and Luther were on the couch, so Fang had nowhere to go. He sat on the arm of the chair.

"Ew. Your butt is way to close to me."

"You never mind any other time."

Mom cleared her throat, making Fang blush and Lucas try to mimic her.

Cody, who was on the floor playing with James, started laughing. James and him make a good pair, I think. The kitten had been de-clawed so we were letting it play with them. De-clawing is painful apparently, so the cat wasn't in a good mood but it was playing with them. Snickers had already been de-clawed when I got her too. Damien complained when Bone told him he had de-clawed the cat, saying that it's painful to the cat and how would we feel if someone pulled off our fingernails but I don't really care. They're just animals.

"Max, I have decided that it would be easier if you and Dad just had twins," Tyler said, coming into the room. "Then Spiderman and Shakira will be the same age."

Alex followed him into the room, nodding. "Yeah."

"We're not having kids for you, Tyler. I'm sorry."

Tyler frowned before looking at my mother. "Dr. Martinez, will you have a baby for us?"

"No, Tyler."

"_Todos ustedes malo_ to me."

"No one is being mean to you, Tyler," Mom said.

So that's what he said… "Yeah, Ty. You two are too young to take care of a baby."

"No! I am a very good daddy. Ask Snickers."

I rolled my eyes, cuddling into the couch even more. "Fang and I aren't having anymore kids."

"You said if I proved myself-"

"And so far you're doing horrible."

He frowned, eating more cake.

* * *

**July**

Cameron was getting on his nerves. He wasn't' sure why she was still so upset but he knew that he couldn't get it and not to ask. But he was ready to be the baby's daddy. He wanted to be its daddy. That's how Trinity did with him. She loved him just as much as Tammie even though he wasn't hers. Why couldn't Cameron get that?

"We're out of milk."

Damien was playing his PS3 and wasn't listening. "Alright."

"Go out and get some."

"Some what?"

"Milk, Damien."

"I will."

"Now."

"Hold on. I'm-"

"See? This is why we can't have the baby."

He paused Smackdown vs. Raw 2011. "What? Why?"

"You're still act like a child, playing stupid games. What if it needed diapers?"

He turned off the TV. "Alright, alright. Come on, Tommy. Let's go get milk."

Tommy was playing with his action figures. "Why? I don't like milk."

Damien shrugged. "I've got to pick up some of your mangas anyways."

Cameron waited for them to leave before going upstairs, looking for Peter. He was in bed, sleeping. That's all the cat seemed to do. She decided to take one too. When Damien and Tommy got back, they both immediately went back to what they were doing.

"Fang's taking me, Tabitha, Alex, and Tyler to see the fireworks tomorrow."

"He's not going to the party?"

"That superhero party? I heard Bone say to Luther that Mrs. Max isn't going to let him."

"Do you know why?"

"No."

"Oh."

"What superhero are you going to be?"

"I'm not sure if your aunt is letting me go."

"My dad says that you're stupid, letting a woman run your life. He would never do what a woman told him. He says bad things about Fang too."

"Your dad just doesn't love anyone like we do."

"No. He says that you're both wimps."

"You've seen Fang. He's no wimp."

"I don't know. I'm just saying what Dad told me."

Damien kept playing his game. "My dad says a lot of stuff too. I don't listen to him."

"What does he say?"

"He didn't want me to get with your aunt."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. He just didn't. If I listened to him, I wouldn't be here right now. I'd still be all alone."

"Wow. You must really like her."

"I do."

* * *

I hugged him. Hard.

"Darling, we must see each other more often."

"Carlos, I missed you. It's been what? A year?"

He laughed a little. "Now, that annoying one, the drooler? He was a baby back then. I guess it's bad that he doesn't know his own uncle."

"I'm his uncle," Bone said from in the house. Carlos frowned.

"Him? He's here? Isn't he the one that called me fat?"

I rolled my eyes, dragging Carlos into the house. He had called me a little over an hour ago saying that he was in town. I hadn't spoken to him in forever. I had given him directions, trying to hide my over excitement on the phone.

"You are fat," Bone said. He had Lucas in his lap and didn't look like he was giving the two year old up anytime soon.

"You're gay, right?" Luther asked, coming in from the kitchen. The two of them have no lives anymore so when they're not hooking up, they're here, invading my life.

"Luther, that is rude," I told him. Cody and James were sleeping in their playpen and James woke up.

"Da-pa!"

Luther went and picked him up. "Hey, James."

"Does tall, dark and abusive know that you have so many men in your house?"

"Does he know that she has a gay in here?" Luther asked. I don't get straight guys and why they hate guys so bad but it annoys me.

"You want to have to go home and face Tammie? No? Then shut your mouth."

"So spicy," Luther said, bouncing James a little. "But the gay one likes that."

"Ugh, straight people," Carlos said, rolling his eyes.

"Carlos!" Tabitha ran into the room, hugging him. "I missed you."

"And I you. Now, Max. It was a long car ride and I need to use the-"

"Little fags room?"

"Bone, I swear to-"

"It's fine, Max. I'll see you in hell, both of you," he said. "Now, where is the bathroom?"

"Upstairs," I said, pointing. At the top of our stairs, you either went straight, down the hallway where the twins rooms were or on the left was one extra bedroom and the right was a bathroom and a bedroom next to it. I didn't want the twins to have those rooms because they're always running around and the other side of it was railing that I didn't want them to fall over. Of course, when I was downstairs watching TV, I was subjected to paper airplanes falling on me because the area above over looked the living room.

"Which door?"

"Turn right, second door."

As soon I saw him in the bathroom, I unleashed on the two men, if I can call them that.

"Look, I don't know what you guy's problem is but-"

"He's fat," Bone told me.

"Gays annoy me."

"Tammie was gay."

"No. She was a lesbian. That's hot. He just needs to get his you know what cut off."

Tabitha frowned. "I don't know what."

"It doesn't matter," I told her. "Luther was just leaving."

He frowned. "No. I'll shut up."

"Good."

Bone was making faces at Lucas. Sighing, I sat down next to them, not at all happy. Why can't they all just get along?

* * *

I was reading to Lucas when Carlos came into the room. I looked up and smiled at him, not even having to look at the book to know the words.

"Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox?"

Carlos laughed. "Not in a box, not with a fox. Not in a house, not with a mouse. I would not eat them here or there. I would not eat them anywhere. I would not eat green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am."

My turn to laugh. "You know it by heart?"

He shrugged. "Remember, Max, I didn't grow up in the school. That's the book my mother used to read to me when I was a kid."

Lucas banged his hands on the book. "Mommy!"

I rolled my eyes, going ahead and finishing for him, letting Carlos help to.

"I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am," I finished, kissing Lucas's head. He looked up at me.

"'gin?"

"No," I told him. "Time for bed."

I got up and covered him over. "Say goodnight to Carlos."

"Ni-ni Car-os."

He smiled a little. "Goodnight, dear child."

I rolled my eyes, checking on Cody and James, who was sleeping in his crib with him, before leading Carlos out of the room.

"Did they leave?"

"The homophobic one is here, in the little girl's room but the hot one got a call from a woman and left."

I started towards the living room. "Now what do you want to do?"

"I actually have a date so-"

"Carlos. You came to see me."

"And I have seen you. Now a want to see a guys-"

"Stop!"

Tyler running down the stairs. Unfortunately, he forgot about the gate on the bottom of them and fell.

I rushed to his side, picking him up, which as you know is no easy feat. "Tyler, what were you running from?"

"Tyler!" Alex came running down the stairs. He was crying, the fall having hurt him.

"Let me see," I ordered, making him move his hands from his face. He hadn't knocked out any of his teeth, thank God. "What were you two doing?"

Alex looked at her feet. "Playing."

"Playing what?" I asked, giving Tyler to Carlos.

"Monster."

"I didn't want to play!" He yelled.

"Yes you did!"

"What is monster?" I asked.

"We summoned the spirit in the house," Alex explained.

"What spirit?"

"Luther told us about him," Tyler told me.

"Luther!"

He came to the stairwell. "Hey. I heard screaming. Are you guys-"

"What did you tell my children about spirits?"

He frowned. "Huh?"

"When we moved here, you told us," Tyler refreshed his memory. Luther smiled sheepishly.

"About that-"

"We caught him," Alex said proudly. "Then Tyler got scared."

"I did not! I was protecting you by leading him away from you," he said, wiggling in Carlos's arms until he sat him down.

"I am so close to kicking you out," I told Luther.

"Max, that was almost a year ago."

"Still. You are a bad influence."

"At least I'm straight!"

"Leave."

"Max-"

"Leave before I call Fang."

He frowned. "Fine. Goodbye, Tabitha."

She had come out of her room. "Why does he have to leave?"

"He can stay," Carlos said. "I told you, Max. I have a date anyways."

After he left, Luther took that as he was free of all charges and took Tabby back to her bedroom.

"Are you alright now?" I asked Tyler. He looked at Alex.

"I don't think that we should play monster anymore. I don't want him to hurt you."

She giggled. "Okay, Tyler."

Thinking that he was in charge again, he marched up the stairs, taking his not girlfriend with him.

* * *

"Stop looking at my stomach."

Damien blushed. "I thought that you were sleeping."

"You're staring at my stomach. Kind of hard to sleep."

"Well your eyes are closed."

She groaned. "Damien, it's late and you're making me feel fat."

He almost kissed her head, like he would before, but the remembered that they weren't doing that anymore.

"Well you're not."

"Hmmm."

"Think it's a girl?"

"Why does it matter?"

"I don't know. A boy's good too. Really good. Then we could buy him comics and-"

"Stop, alright?"

He reached out and touched her face, trying to ignore the fact that she shied away. "Cameron, I'm just…starting to get excited."

"Don't. I'm not even sure if I'm-"

"Even if you're not, I'm still excited. Until it's gone, it's still a baby and I still might get to have it," he said, shrugging a little. Peter meowed from somewhere in the darkness before jumping up into bed. Cameron pulled him to her.

"I love you, Peter," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Now go to bed, Damien. I'm tired."

Peter began to lick his white paws. Scratching behind the cat's ears, Damien said, "Alright. Say goodnight, Peter."

The cat curled into a ball, purring.

Cameron leaned over and kissed the cat. "Damien?"

"What?"

"…Are cats good around babies?"

"Max and Fang have their kids around them," he said.

"Yeah but they're dysfunctional. And plus, their cats have been de-clawed."

Damien frowned. "Do you know what de-clawing does to a cat? They have feelings you know! How would you like it if I took a clipper and chopped off your-"

"Damien, calm down."

He sighed, looking at Peter. "I could buy those little covers to put over his claws. We could even get orange so that he'd be Halloween festive. Only I don't really like Halloween because it kind of has bad roots. I won't make the baby not go trick-or-treating though. My dad tried to do that to me and-"

"Damien, you're rambling."

He blushed. "Sorry."

Giggling at his cuteness, she stretched. "Damien, I'm seriously tired."

"Alright. Goodnight, Cameron. Peter says goodnight too."

She smiled before going to sleep. Then Damien went back to stomach watching. It was weird, knowing that some other guy's baby was in there but he was ready to take care of it. Not that he wasn't scared. Because he was scared. More than anyone would ever know. What happens when they have another kid? Would he treat his biological kid better? No, he didn't think he would. Trinity treated him just as good as Tammie, never even having to think about it. Besides, it wasn't the baby's fault. It was that bastard's fault. Just like he couldn't help his mother leaving his father. It wasn't his fault.

This was bad. He was starting to identify with the baby. He had told Cameron that he would stand beside her no matter her decision but he was starting to have doubts. He already loved the baby. He wanted a kid. He couldn't wait to hold it. It would be his baby. It didn't matter what DNA said. If you made it your baby and thought it was your baby, it was your baby. For life.

* * *

Fang had taken all the kids with him to go see fire works except for Cody and James, who I was watching. Tammie was shacking up with Justin somewhere and Luther was off being his normal asshole self but I didn't mind watching him. I'd rather have him here with me, safe, as oppose to in the middle of their fights. Besides, everyone else leaves their freaking kids with me.

Lucas was very excited about going to see the fireworks, I think. Tyler had told him about them but that wasn't enough. He almost peed his pants while waiting for Fang to put him in the car. I'm serious. Ugh. Two year olds.

"Me-me!" Cody called from the playpen. He wanted to be held. I picked both of the boys up with one arm, giving them each a kiss on the head. Walking towards the bedroom, I talked to the two of them until they fell asleep. I put them in Cody's crib before going back into the living room to watch TV. I was engrossed in some stupid show about lowlife db's at Jersey when there was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Cameron. Tommy's still-"

"We know," Damien said. He was dressed as some superhero. "Cameron's letting me go to my party but doesn't want to be alone in the-"

"Shut up, Damien," she said. "I can speak for myself."

I smiled at the two of them, trying to ease the tension. "You might as well stay, Cameron. Besides, I'm bored by myself."

Damien gave her a smile. "I'll see you-"

"Shut up and leave."

Frowning, he walked back out to his car. I let Cameron come in.

"Before you say anything, I was not being harsh. He's just-"

"I wasn't going to say anything."

She sighed, sitting down on the couch. "Did Lucas go to?"

"Yeah."

"Where's Cody?"

"He and James are asleep."

"James?" She crinkled her nose. "Luther is here?"

"No. He left James here and hasn't been back to get him yet."

"I'm glad he doesn't expect Damien and I to do that."

"Baby sit? It's probably because you two don't have kids."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah but after the-"

She came to a stop but I wasn't ready to let that go. "What?"

"Nothing-"

"Cameron."

She sighed. "It's just…I'm pregnant."

"What? That's great!"

"No, it's not."

"…Why not?"

"It's not Damien's."

I frowned. "Cameron-"

"No, don't. That's why I don't want to tell people. Don't pity me about it. It is what it is."

I looked at her. "What does Damien think?"

"I don't know. I told him that I might want an abortion," she said, looking away from me. "Am I wrong for that?"

"No, of course not."

She sighed. "Damien wants me to keep it."

"Really?"

She nodded. "He's getting attached to it. He's always talking about if it's a boy or a girl. What comics it'll like. How he'll be the one to take it trick-or-treating."

"So he doesn't want you to abort it?"

She sighed. "I don't know. He says that he'll support me either way but…I think he wants this baby."

"Cameron, it's not his decision. It's yours."

Seeming to break, she said, "What will people say? About me? If I don't have Damien behind me, I'm all alone."

I was quiet for a second before speaking. "You know what, Cameron? Damien loves you, so you'll never be alone. And if, by some off chance, he doesn't stand with you, I'll be right there to take your place. If anyone ever comments on your decision, send them my way."

She smiled a little, laughing a little. "You know, you used to hate me."

"I remember you not being all that happy about me being around either."

"…So do you think getting an abortion is right?"

"Cameron, that's up to you."

She sighed. "Damien really wants it."

"You two should talk about it."

"We have. He wants it and I'm not sure."

"If you had to choose right this second, what would you choose?"

"…Keep."

* * *

I yawned, crawling into bed. "Night, Fang."

He winced, getting into bed. "Watching over all those kids is killing me. One wanted on my shoulders because they couldn't see, one is tired, another is bored. God."

"Want me to rub your back?"

Fang gave me a small smile. "Thanks but no thanks."

Shrugging, I told him that it was his lost. Fang laid on his side, looking at me.

"I have the most beautiful wife in the entire world."

"Shut up, Fang. I don't feel like playing games tonight."

"What game, Max?" He asked, coming to nuzzle my neck. "You truly are-"

"Shut up."

He smiled, kissing my lips. "Do you think that I'm kid friendly yet?"

"I knew you were just buttering me up."

Fang caught my lips in a kiss before moving his head to rest on my pillow. "Max, Max, Max. You should know by now, I don't butter up."

So many things to say to that, so little time…

* * *

"Who did you tell?"

I frowned. "What?"

Cameron had walked in the store all mad, dragging Damien behind her. "Who did you tell?"

It finally clicked in my mind. "No one."

"Well I know I didn't and he says that he didn't' so that leaves you."

Frowning, I said, "Who do you think knows?"

"Tabitha."

"I haven't spoke about it since me and you talked."

Damien sighed. "Cameron, just drop it. Everyone had to know at sometime."

"No. Which one of you was talking about it?"

"Think of who Tabitha would be around. I know I didn't say it and she's not at your house a lot but-"

"Tommy." Cameron shook her head. "How could we have been so stupid? He hears everything!"

A customer came in so they left. Hope it all works out.

* * *

"I can't believe I was so stupid."

Damien stared straight ahead at the rode. "You've never been stupid, Cameron."

"Shut up, Damien."

He sighed. "They had to know at sometime."

"I told you, I didn't want anyone to know if I got an abortion. Now with Tabitha and Tommy telling everybody…"

"…So we're keeping it?"

"Not now, Damien."

He frowned. He really, really wanted the baby. "I…can I tell my mom that I might be having a baby?"

"Might as well. Let them judge me too."

"No one is judging anything, Cameron."

"Yes they are. They all are."

He shook his head. "What's wrong with just keeping it? Raising it like it's my child? It never has to know anything, Cameron. I'll be a good daddy. Don't you think I will?"

"Yes-"

"Then why?"

She leaned against the window, trying not to cry. "What happens if it looks like…_him_?"

"…We love it anyways."

"And what if I can't? Huh?"

"Then I will. That's what being a parent is all about. Where you fail, I succeed and vice versa. We could do it, Cameron."

"…I want to go home. Now."

He sighed but decided that he was slowly getting through to her…maybe.

* * *

"Why do straight guys hate gay guys?"

Fang glanced at me. "What?"

"Yeah. You all hate Carlos. Bone hates him because Bone is crazy but you and Luther don't like him just because he's gay. Why?"

"Max, I am not-"

"Yes you are. There's nothing wrong with it. I mean, there is but you're not the only straight guy who's like that. There's tons. Why?"

"Why does it matter? They're all going straight to hell anyways."

"Oh, and you aren't? Isn't there something in the bible about judging others?" I was talking out of my ass but I was hoping that there was somewhere in there.

"…What's your point?"

"You've never given Carlos a chance. Does he make you feel insecure?"

"No!"

It was past midnight and we were watching TV in our bedroom. Or Fang was trying too. Personally, I could careless Forensic Files.

"Yes he does. Are you…secretly thinking about being with another man?"

"No. Ew. God now. I'm not a fag."

"Stop using that word."

"No, because I ain't one, Max."

I rolled away from him. "Homophobic."

"So what? Just because I-"

"Whatever, Fang."

"No. You're trying to make me look like some sort of bad guy for having my beliefs."

"It's not a belief."

"Yes it is. You're just in denial."

"About?"

"Him dying and you never seeing him again."

I frowned. "What makes you so sure that we're on the pathway to heaven? Because last time I checked, we ain't too holy."

Fang turned off the TV. "Just shut up and go to bed."

I sighed. He hated not finishing his show. Then it bothers him, not knowing the killer. "Turn back on your show."

"No. I'm going to be because if I don't, we'll fight and if we fight, you'll say that you deserve a drink, which you don't. I'd rather defuse the problem right here, right now."

I had to smile a little. Homophobic? Yes. Fights for no reason? No. One out of two isn't bad.


	4. Chapter 4

**xX Black Rose Bud Xx, I never said that it was. Max mentioned multiple times through out the story that she's never read the bible and that her mother had only dragged her to church a few times. To an atheist or someone that doesn't know the word, that's how I would perceive faith would be to them. You have a valid point and, if I was quoting word, it would make a good case but seeing as I was just showing a view from a person who doesn't know it at all, that's how'd it'd be. **

Living

Chapter 4

I'm not one for gossip, hehe, but Cameron has seemed to give up on people not knowing. Why would I say that? Not to pass judgment, but she was starting to…gain some weight. With Damien working and her not, she was at home alone all day unless Tommy was over, so I don't really blame her. Damien sure did complain though.

"But Max, I have to buy so much ice cream now."

"Mmmm…I wish I was pregnant and could eat like that."

"It can be arranged," Fang told me from the stool next to me.

"Max, I just don't get it. She says that she's fat now, but then she asks me to go to the store."

"Damien, that's part of being pregnant."

"…I don't like it."

"Then be like Luther and sleep with other girls and never be home."

Sighing, he took out his wallet to pay for the mangas he had just bought. "I want to be around her but-"

His cell phone going off stopped him. "Hello? Getting some mangas. Yes. You sure? Yeah. Of course. I love you…Cameron that's not a very nice thing to- Hey! Fine, see you at home."

"What'd she want?" I asked, bagging his stuff.

"Fries."

I smiled at him. "Have fun."

"I won't," he said before walking out of the store.

Looking at Fang, I said, "They're so cute together."

"You sound like you're talking about Tommy and Tabitha."

I laid my head down on the counter. "I think that they'll be good parents."

"Eh, I guess. Cameron's not all that excited."

"Fang, she's having her-"

"I know, but still. Damien's happy."

"She's gone through more than you'll ever know, regardless."

"I know, I know but…I don't know."

I smiled at him. "Let's talk about something else, alright?"

Fang ran a hand down my back, hitting the spot that only he knew about that made my wings jerk. "I love you."

"I didn't mean talk about that."

He laughed. "Am I kid friendly yet?"

"No."

"Max-"

"I don't want another kid, Fang."

"But I do. I want another girl."

"With our luck, we'll end up with only boys from this point."

He kept rubbing my back, but leaving the spot alone. "You know that I really want another kid."

I closed my eyes. "Leave me alone, I'm sleeping."

He kept rubbing my back, but I did fall asleep. It was almost two hours later when Luther walked in.

"Get up."

I didn't move my head.

"Max, I said-"

"Shut up, Luther," Fang ordered.

"She's freaking sleeping on my-"

"And we've been taking care of your son for the past how long? You no longer have the right to tell Max to do."

Like he ever had the right… Luther left so Fang thought he had won. He took off his jacket and put it around my shoulders, giving me a kiss on the side of my head.

"You need a haircut," he whispered in my ear.

I groaned. "No I don't."

He blew in my ear, making me push him.

"Cut it out, Fang."

Laughing, he said, "Alright, alright. Go back to sleep."

"Where are the kids again?"

"Tyler's with Alex, Cody and James are with your mom, and Tabitha went over to some girls house."

"Lucas?"

"In the office sleeping," he said, kissing me again. "Are you okay today? Feeling like a drink?"

"No."

"I was just checking."

"Whatever."

Fang sighed. "Night, Max. I'll wake you up when it's time to leave."

I didn't say anything back to him, just slept.

* * *

"Why do you have that?"

Damien looked up from the book. "It's a parenting book."

"I know that, I'm not stupid. I asked why you have it.

Again he looked at her as if she were crazy. "Cameron, you're pregnant."

"So? I might not-"

"Stop, alright? Not today."

"Damien, you told me that you'd support-"

"Enough, Cameron! I'm so tired of you. You always do this to me. Don't treat me like your stupid doll. I'll stand by you, no matter what, but you can't do this. I'm your boyfriend. Stop acting like you have some sort of leash around me. Stop playing with my head. I want that baby and you're using it to torture me. Stop it!"

Her eyes watered. "I knew that you were a jerk."

"Wait, what?"

She started crying. Damien jumped up, taking her into her arms, even though she fought him.

"Leave me alone, you bastard."

"Stop talking like that. The baby can hear you," he said, kissing the side of her head. Stopping her fighting, she leaned against him.

"You hate me."

"No," he told her in earnest. "Never, Cameron. I just want you to stop holding the baby above my head. Don't toy with me."

"I'm not trying to."

"Yes you are. You know that you are, Cameron. Just stop it." He stopped for a second, taking in a deep breath. "Why can't you just love me again. I love you, Cameron, why can't you love me back? I'd give my life to take back what happened to you. I'd shoot my self in the head and face eternal damnation if you were you again. But it doesn't work that way."

She closed her eyes. "I just want…I want to sleep."

He ran his hands up and down her sides. "Alright. Let's go to sleep."

"No. Just me, no you."

Frowning, Damien put her into bed, covering her over. Seeing as she had said just her, he tried to take Peter with him. The cat hissed.

"Fine, you stupid cat," he grumbled, walking towards the door. Cameron smiled a little.

"Wait, Damien."

"What?"

She held out his discarded book. "Here. You need it."

He smiled back a little. "Thanks."

* * *

When we got home, I had to play with Lucas. He had been sleeping most of the day and probably wasn't going to go to sleep tonight. So, I was hoping to run him down enough to make him sleep. We had picked up Cody and James, but they were both in my and Fang's room with Fang.

"Mommy!"

Running after him is so hard. I don't mean running, I mean making sure to not run fast enough to catch him. I like making him think that he's fast. It's like when Fang pretends that Tyler hitting him hurts. It's just being nice to them, making them feel good.

"I've almost got you," I told him, running him into the kitchen. Lucas just randomly stopped.

"Hi," he said, going over to the orange and white kitten that was getting a drink of water. "Fox!"

The kitten looked up at him and meowed. Lucas picked him up.

"My kitty, Mommy."

"Is it?" I asked, glad that running was over. He nodded, walking over to me.

"Juice."

"Um…how about water?" I asked. I think that was always give him juice and that's not good.

"No! Juice."

"Lucas, don't start with me."

"Juice!" He put his cat down so that he could start throwing a fit. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Fang came into the room. "What are you doing to him?"

"Nothing. Where are the boys?"

"They're fine," Fang mumbled, coming to pick up Lucas. "What's wrong, bubba?"

"Juice," he whined, leaning against Fang.

"You won't get him a drink," Fang asked.

"I will," I said, turning to get his sippy cup. I filled it with tap water. See? Maybe if he were nice I would have gotten him bottled, but nope. "He's getting water."

"Max, no. He's been good all day."

"And? He needs water."

"No, you need water."

"Excuse me?"

Fang walked out of the room. "Me and Lucas are going out. We'll bring back dinner and Tabitha."

"Fang, do not go get him juice!"

"I'm not," he lied, walking out of the house. I huffed, going into my bedroom. Cody was sleeping on the bed; his darker colored friend was playing with toys.

"You're not sleepy, James?"

He smiled when he saw me. I don't think that it's good, me spending so much time with him. It's not right, him not seeing his mother and father for long periods of time. Though, I was starting to get…motherly towards him and I didn't want them taking him away.

"Mix," he cried, reaching for me. "Mix."

I picked him up, smiling. "Are you happy to see me? Huh?"

James laid his head against me. He could say his own version of daddy, cat, and clearly say hi and no. What can he not say? Mommy. But know what he can say?

"Mix!"

"It's Max, silly. You know that."

"Mix!"

I giggled, setting him back down. Hearing him call me that reminded me of when Tyler and Tabitha were little. Waking up, Cody made a yawning noise. James patted his friend's stomach.

"Are you two best friends?" I asked them as Cody picked up a fuzzy dice and hit James in the head with it. I don't know why he likes hitting so much. And in the head too! I grabbed my baby's hand.

"We do not hit, Cody."

He made a noise, not like me yelling at him. James made a noise too, sticking up for his friend, I think. I let go of Cody and let him sulk while chewing on a stuffed animal. James started bouncing up and down.

I had been watching them for awhile when Fang came back, carrying his partner in crime with him. Lucas just also happened to be holding an ice cream cone that was dripping everywhere. Fang was rushing him to the bathroom.

"I say that he can't have juice so you buy him ice cream?"

Fang left the bathroom door open as he took the ice cream from Lucas and started his bathwater.

"Fang, are you-"

"What, Max? What do you want? Yes, I got him and Tabitha ice cream. What are you going to do?"

"…You're yelling."

"Yeah, maybe I am. So what? Fighting's fucking healthy."

"Fuck!" Lucas looked up at his father for praise. Fang just stripped him before putting him in the bathtub.

"You just broke the deal-"

"Good. Go out and get drunk, Max. Maybe that'll get you off my back for once. So what? I love my kids and want them to be happy. You're just an uptight bitch that has to control everything."

"Fang, why are you being like this?"

He just got down on his knees and began to wash Lucas. I picked up Cody and James, taking them with me out of the room. Tabitha was watching TV.

"Daddy was yelling," Tabitha said.

I went and put the boys in their playpen. "Not now, baby."

"But Max-"

"Stop, Tabitha. Alright?"

She cuddled back into the chair. "Okay."

Sighing, I went to go give her a kiss on the head. "I just don't want you to talk about Daddy and me, okay? We know what we need to do in life and don't want you worrying about it."

"Do you want to watch TV with me?"

"No, not right now," I said, going to put on my shoes. "Tell your father that I went out, alright?"

"Okay."

* * *

"Hey, can I come in?"

"No."

"Damien-"

"Cameron is sleeping," he told his friend, starting to close the door.

"Dude, I need a place to stay," Luther pleaded. "I'd let you stay with me."

Damien frowned. "But Cameron doesn't like you."

"What? Nonsense," Luther declared, pushing Damien out of the way and walking into the house. "Cameron!"

"I told you that she was asleep."

Luther started up the stairs. He came to the bedroom and knocked. "Hey Cameron-"

"Leave her alone," Damien said, finally catching up with his friend.

"Damien, I'm just-"

"No leave her alone," he ordered, pushing Luther a little. His friend just laughed at him.

"Hey, Cameron-"

"I said to leave her alone," Damien said, pushing him hard. Luther wasn't expecting this and fell to the ground.

"Hey-"

"Damien, what are you doing?" Cameron asked, opening the bedroom door.

"Luther won't leave."

She rolled her eyes before closing the door again. "Then make him."

"How?"

"Look, Damien, either do it or else I'll call Trent to."

Frowning, he looked down at Luther, who still hadn't gotten up. No way did he want Trent to think that he couldn't control this house. Because he could. He can protect Cameron.

"Get out," Damien told his friend.

"Ha, as if," Luther said, getting up and starting to go down the stairs. Damien grabbed him.

"Luther, this is my house and-"

"This is _Cameron's_ house. I'm more afraid of her than you."

Damien punched him in the face. Luther touched his jaw.

"Did you just punch me?" He straightened up. "Dude, I'll beat your ass."

"Unlikely. You're such a bad dad that you can't be good at anything."

"You little-"

"Hey," Cameron yelled, coming back out there. She got between the two of them, once again defending Damien. Even worse, this time it's his friends. She pushed Luther. "Leave him alone and get out."

"And if I say no?"

"Max and Fang might like you in their house, but I don't. My brother Trent is crazy and probably drunk by now. I call him and say you're in my house, he'll be here with his shot gum before you can run. Your choice."

Luther shook his head. "Bros before hoes, Damien."

"The only hoe is you," Cameron said, feeling suddenly braver. She wasn't afraid of Luther. Wow. "Now get out."

Sending Damien a glare, Luther started down the stairs. After she heard the front door shut, Cameron turned to look at Damien.

"I don't want him around anymore."

Damien laid his forehead against hers, without thinking. He thought that she'd pull back, but she just leaned into him, staring up at his hazel eyes.

"That's fine. Whatever you want, baby."

She kissed his lips. Damien was shocked and she moved away before he could react. "I want my ring."

"What?"

"My ring. I want my engagement ring. Now."

He smiled at her. "What makes you think that I already have it?"

"I know that you do, Damien. Why haven't you given it to me yet?"

"I don't know," he said as she interlaced their fingers. "Maybe I was waiting."

"If you don't give it to me now, I'll find it on my own."

"Ooh, what a threat."

"Oh? You don't like it? Maybe I just won't accept the proposal."

"Cameron, you know that you're dying to be married to me."

"Just get me my ring."

He removed his hands from her before walking into Tommy's room. "Tommy let me hide it in here because I knew that you'd never look here."

She was excited for the first time in a long time as he came back into the hallway, holding a black box in his hand. Her last ring had been ripped from her finger in anger. Apparently, that man was sick enough to think that they were together and she had just been a cheater. As for her other ring, the man had pawned, or at least she thinks. He took it, that's all she knew.

"It's…beautiful." She really still love her last one, she decided as she stared at the ring, but she also knew that Damien wouldn't have bought a ring that looked the same as it. He was always worried that he would do something that would remind her of what happened. Yeah, because just being in this house didn't remind her. Alas, he was still cute in his ways.

Damien smiled. "I like it too. But I thought that you would like this a little bit better."

Watching as he pulled something out of his pocket, Cameron slipped the ring in the box on her finger while waiting. "What could be better than this?"

"This," he said, opening his hands.

"D-Damien, why would you do that? Buying a copy-"

"Not a copy, Cameron," he said. "And did you put your engagement ring on? Cam! I was supposed to put it on you."

"Shut up," she said, taking the other ring out of his hand. It was the Green Lantern ring, the very one that had been taken by Tristan. How did he get it? "Where-"

"You mentioned that you thought he had pawned it. I searched all over Ohio pawn shops online, looking for it. And then I found it."

"How do you know that it's the right one?"

He frowned at her. "You never read the inside?"

"What do you mean?"

"The inside," he said, taking it back from her. "See? It's engraved on the inside."

_Happy birthday. See you next summer!_

Cameron frowned. "Who gave it to you?"

"What?"

"Who gave it to you, Damien?"

"No one."

"Well, they saw you the next summer."

"It was Sara's father, alright?" He started to walk off, but she grabbed his arm.

"That's your mother right?"

"What?"

"Sara. She's your mother, right?"

"When did I tell you that?" He asked.

Once she knew he wasn't moving, she let go of his arm. "When you were telling me about your tattoos. Remember? I asked what the dragon-"

"Yeah, alright, I remember."

She began to toy with the ring, rolling it in her hand. "He gave you the cross too, right?"

Damien kissed her head, making Cameron freeze. When he moved away, he said, "I love you, Cameron. More than my life."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"If you ever need to know, you will," he said, running his hand down her arms until he got to her hands, where he took the Green Lantern ring from her before putting it on one of her fingers on her right hand.

"Damien-"

"Tell me that you love me. Please."

She stared at him. She hadn't told him that once since she got back. He said it to her a multitude of times, but she never repeated the words. There was the time that he asked if she loved him, but that didn't carry the same weight as actually saying it. And it wasn't like she didn't love him. She did. It was just…fear based. How long could he really love her? After all that happened, how?

"Damien-"

"Cameron, I'm about to marry you. I'm going to have a baby with you. Tell me."

"I-I…I love you."

Smiling brightly, he walked away. She sighed, looking down at both of her hands. She got her rings back and her cross. Feeling slightly better, she walked into her bedroom, getting back into bed.

"I'm getting married," she said. "Did you hear that, Peter?"

The cat just meowed.

"I know, I know. I was already getting married, but a ring just makes it more special, more real. And I love Damien."

The cat purred as she began to rub his back.

"Now I really will be your mommy," she mumbled, cuddling into the bed while pulling the cat closer to her. "Will you like that? Huh? I know. It's great, huh?"

Cameron laughed, burying her head in his fur. God, she loved the cat.

* * *

It was late, but I didn't care. I didn't want to get up. Bone came into the room. He had been at work, but I stopped by the store to get his key and stayed here while he was working.

"Night?"

"I have to go home."

"Stay."

"No," I said, though I didn't move except for my hand that was rubbing Bubba's stomach. "I'm leaving in a few minutes."

Bone went over to me. "Control?"

"Of what?"

"Birth."

"Yes, I'm still on it, you freak."

He just blinked. "Upset."

"Who?"

"Fang."

"Yeah," I agreed. "But he can get over it. He's been so rude to me all d-"

"He and Luther fought."

I frowned. "What?"

The emaciated man nodded. "While you were asleep in the store. That's why I was there when you woke up and not Luther. He left."

"What did they fight about?"

"James. Luther was mad about what Fang had said earlier. Fang called him a bad father again. The worst father in the world. Then he said that Luther's so mad about his father because he left him and acted like he could just pay for his love. Fang said that's what Luther's doing. Then Luther tried to say something about you and Fang threatened to kick his ass. Luther left."

"Where is he now?"

"He called to ask if he could stay here, but I told him that you were here so he should just go to Damien's. He told me that he and Damien fought and Damien punched him. So-"

"Wait, Damien hit him?"

Bone nodded. "Weird?"

"Yeah, very."

"Cameron wanted him to leave and he wouldn't."

"Damien really cares about Cameron."

Bone smiled. "I really care about you."

"Alright, time to go."

He laughed as I got up. Fang had fought for me. I mean, sure, it's not the first time, but I'm still happy. I might even have forgiven him…maybe a little. I hugged Bone before leaving. As soon as I got home, I had Fang to deal with.

"Where the hell did you go?"

I just wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my head in his chest. Okay, so maybe it wasn't only a little. So what?

"Um, Max-"

"You're the best husband in the world. Thank you."

He still didn't hug me. "What?"

I held him closer, swinging us a little. "You rock. I forgive you. Completely. You were in a bad mood and I just kept pushing."

Finally hugging me back, he swung us a lot, swinging me around. Giving me a kiss on the head, Fang sat me back down on the ground.

"Does this mean that you're not fighting?" Tabitha asked from the couch.

"Yeah," I told her, moving my head so that it was back in his chest. "Without a doubt."

* * *

"What did I do?" Fang asked, running a hand down my bare side.

"What? When?"

"When you got home you weren't mad anymore."

I kissed his chest. "You got into a fight with Luther. You would have beaten him up for me."

"Yeah, of course."

Running a hand down his chest, I leaned up to kiss his lips. "You're the best."

"I know."

"And hot."

"I know."

"And sexy."

"I know."

"And tough."

"I know."

"And strong."

"I know."

"And kid friendly."

"I- Wait, what?"

"Remembering to take a pill all the time sucks," I added, closing my eyes.

Fang leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "Thank you. So much."

"Fang, I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it because I might want another kid too."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad. I love you, Max."

"Do you?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

He laughed, running his hand up and down my arm. "You know, with out luck, now that we're trying we won't get one."

"Yeah. That's what I'm hoping."

"Max."

"Kidding."

"Again, with our luck, you just jinxed us."

"Probably."

* * *

**August**

School was going to start up again soon. Summer goes by so fast. Tyler has decided that he's not going back, apparently.

"So you're running away?"

He nodded. "Me and Alex."

I crossed my arms. "Is this true, Alex?"

She giggled. "Yeah. But we need you to take us to wherever we decide to go."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"We can't cross the street alone."

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are not running away, Tyler. End of story."

"But Max, you don't get it. We have to have a house to have babies."

"I've already told you, Ty, you're not getting a kid."

Alex frowned. "But Max-"

"No. Now go play."

It was only around ten and I had work at twelve so I didn't want to spend my time fighting with them. After they were gone, Fang came out of the garage.

"Hey, baby," he said, coming to kiss me.

"Hey," I said, letting him wrap his arms around my waist. "What were you doing in the garage?"

"Nothing. Just helping Tabitha tune the drums."

I leaned back against him. "Fang?"

'

"What?"

"…Let's go on vacation."

He frowned against the back of my head. "To where?"

"I don't know. Let's just take the kids and drive."

"Cody's not good in cars."

"Not him. The other three."

"Where are Cody and James going to go?"

"Cody can go to Mom's, and, if worse comes to worse, I'll get Tammie's mother to watch Cody, but I'm hoping that Luther will take him."

Yes, we still had James. His first birthday was in two days and no one, but Trinity had called me about it. She said that she wanted me to bring him to her house today, that she wanted him. I was reluctant to give him up, but I knew that I had to at some point.

"I don't know when we became the babysitters."

I closed my eyes. "I need to go take a shower."

He kissed my neck. "You want me to take one with you?"

"No."

"Max-"

"Fang, you need to go take care of the kids."

"Hmmm…maybe I don't want more kids."

"Yes, you do. Now go away."

He let me go. "Fine. Tell me before you leave for work."

"Why?"

"So I can say bye. Duh."

I smiled at him before walking off to go take a shower.

* * *

Damien put James into his truck. "Thanks, Fang. Me and Cameron would have been watching him while Tammie and Luther are…you know, but all my time's gone to Cam-"

"Chill out, dude," Fang said. "Max likes taking care of kids and, besides, him and Cody get along pretty well."

James was whining a little bit. Where was Max? Why couldn't Cody come?

"Mix!"

Damien frowned. "Uh-oh."

"Yeah," Fang said, shaking his head. "He needs to stop saying Max's name. Tammie's going to be pissed."

Damien closed the door. "See you later, Fang. Thanks again."

"Yeah, see ya," Fang said, going back into the house. Damien climbed into the truck.

"What's wrong, James?" He asked, pulling out onto the road. He was taking the baby to his house because his mother got called into work. He'd take his nephew over there later. "You ready to go see your Aunt Cameron?"

James made a noise. Damien was nice, but he wanted Max. When they got to the house and his uncle had taken him inside, he started crying.

"What's wrong?" Cameron asked, coming to lift the baby out of the carrier. James cried for a minute before calming down. This woman smelled nice. "Hi, James. Can you say hi?"

"Hi."

She smiled at him. "Aw! You're so cute."

Damien smiled a little. "So we can watch him until my mom gets off?"

Cameron had told him that they could only watch him if he was quiet. Damien didn't have high hopes for this, seeing as he was still a baby. So, he already had a back up plan.

"Yes," Cameron said, taking the baby upstairs. "Do the dishes, okay?"

Yet again, she ditched him. If it wasn't for his cat, it was for his nephew. Sigh. After he finished dishes, he went to go check on them. Cameron was watching TV while James petted Peter.

"See?" Damien said, walking into the room and closing the door. "Babies aren't that bad."

Cameron looked over at him. "You did the dishes?"

"Yes."

"And laundry?"

"This morning."

Crap, what else was there for him to do?

"Um-"

"Cameron, don't treat me like a little kid that you can give chores to."

Looking back at the TV, she said, "Tommy's come over tomorrow. I'm not sure if he's stay over here or with Tabitha though."

Damien laid down. James smiled at him, continuing to play with the fat, lazy cat. Peter meowed, closing his eyes.

"Won't it be great when we have our baby?"

Cameron frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, James will be over a lot and so will Tommy, plus Fang's kids so it'll be like a big family."

Sometimes, he came off as cute. Other times, he just royally pissed her off. "What's with you and your obsession for a big family?"

"Nothing. I just think that-"

"Shut up, stupid."

Stupid had seemed to take the place of Superman and omen. What had happened to his Cameron? Was his Cammie dead? This Cameron was mean.

"I'm sorry, Cammie. I was just-"

"Just be quiet, okay?" She knew that she was being mean, but there was no helping it. He pissed her off sometimes. So what? He shouldn't be so dang sensitive. Then she looked over at him and, taking in his sad eyes and face, she started to feel bad. Damn it…

"Damien, I…I love you." There, that would fix it.

"You're just saying that."

"No, Superman, I'm n-"

"You called me Superman."

"So?"

He smiled, laying his head down. "Never mind. Cammie. I love you too."

* * *

I had Damien come to get James while I was at work. It was easier that way. I don't know what it is about babies, but you just get attached, you know? Maybe it's the way that they depend on you for everything, or maybe it's the way they love you unconditionally, I don't know. All I do know is that James is out my house. Probably not permanently, but he could be.

"Sad?"

"Yeah, Bone, a little bit."

He ran a hand up and down my back. "Don't be."

"Why not?"

"Good day."

"How's it a good day?"

Bone just shrugged. "Don't know. Just is."

"And I'm just supposed to trust in you and believe that?"

"It'd be nice."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm not nice."

"You're telling me."

I smiled. Then something hit me in the back of the head. "Lucas!"

He started laughing.

"That's not funny," I told him, turning around to see him. "We do not throw things. Say sorry."

"So-ee, Mommy."

"It's okay. Just stop doing things like that."

"Cross," Bone called. The toddler got up and crawled into his lap. "Bad."

Lucas cuddled against him. "No."

"Yes. Don't hurt Mommy."

Closing his eyes, Lucas yawned. "Ni-ni."

Bone kissed his head, but didn't go put him in the office. He just made the two year old sleep in his lap.

"Last night?"

"Fang worked last night and James was whiny all night."

"Girls."

"I don't want to hear about your night…but just to be certain, how many?"

"Three."

"Ew."

Bone smiled. "You wouldn't say that if you were me."

I don't get how he and Luther get all these girls. I had never tried to pick up a guy in Arizona, but they must all be ugly here if bones-showing Bone and I-could-careless-about-you Luther are considered hot.

"Bone, I want you to get a girlfriend."

"You're enough of a girlfriend for me, thank you."

I just rolled my eyes.

* * *

"So he's gone?"

Fang took Lucas from me. "Yeah. Damien picked him up."

I frowned. "How's Cody taking it?"

"By sleeping."

Figures… "Where are the other kids?"

"Tyler and Alex are in his room and Tabitha's in the garage."

"She's really starting to like those drums."

Fang put Lucas on his shoulders. "I'm making dinner."

"What is is?"

"Chicken and rice."

"Yum."

"Don't mock me. It's better than hotdogs."

Lucas made a noise. "Daddy."

"What?"

"Juice!"

"Y-" Fang stopped and looked at me. Recalling our fight a few weeks ago, he said, "Water."

Lucas thought that he was joking, apparently, until Fang got him some water. "No! No, no, no."

"Yes," Fang said, patting him on the head.

Lucas started to cry. "No d'ink."

"Fine, don't drink it," I said, taking the sippy cup from him.

"Wait, Max, that's kind of-"

"He needs to stop crying."

Lucas started yelling. With the twins, Fang would have already taken care of this. But, they were six. He treats Lucas like he did them where they were two. He just lets him cry. And cry. And cry.

"You stop it, Lucas. Right now," I told him.

"Max, leave him alone," Fang said, picking him up. "Shhh, Lucas. If you stop I'll get you some juice with dinner, okay?"

Lucas wrapped his arms around Fang's neck. "Daddy!"

"I know, I know," Fang mumbled, rubbing the baby's back. Shaking my head, I walked back out of the room. Ooh, look, time for the Kardashians.

* * *

"Bye, James," Damien said, giving the baby to his mother.

"Can you say bye?" Trinity prompted. James was upset.

"Mix!"

"What's he saying?"

"Max," Damien said.

His mother shook her head. "Do you want to stay for dinner, Damien? We were just going to go out to eat, but I can-"

"No," he said. "Cameron's at home, waiting for me."

"Well, you could go pick her up and then we'll meet you somewhere."

"Cameron doesn't really like going places," Damien said, feeling bad. But it was the truth. "I'll call you tomorrow, Mom."

"Alright," she said, bouncing James a little. "Bye."

"Bye," he said, turning to go back to his truck. When he got home, Cameron was into the ice cream again. Great…

"Damien, what are you eating for dinner?" Cameron asked as he sat next to her on the couch.

"I was going to get us-"

"You, not me. I'm not hungry."

Maybe if she laid off the ice cream, she would be. "Oh. Well, I'll just make myself a sandwich then."

Cameron leaned against him, pulling her feet up onto the couch. "You want some ice cream? It's cookie dough."

"No thanks, Cammie."

She ate a big spoonful before speaking. "You don't like cookie dough?"

"No. I like chocolate."

"Well, I know that, but you can like more than one kind."

"I guess but…cookie dough always has made me sick."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It just does."

"Real cookie dough too or just the ice cream?"

"Both."

"You're so weird."

He frowned. "Oh."

"The good kind. It makes you even cuter."

This time he smiled as he said oh.

"Yeah," Cameron went on. "I like taking care of you and all your ailments."

"Well, I'm not only cute, you know."

She smiled. "I know. You're tough too, omen."

"Hey, two nicknames in one day."

"Yeah," she said, going back to eating. Damien kissed her head, making Cameron freeze. "Damien-"

"Sorry. I forgot."

She sighed. "I'm just not…comfortable with-"

"I know and I'm sorry."

She looked down at her ice cream. "Dr. Garcia wants you to come to one of my sessions."

"Your therapist?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Cameron shrugged. "She thinks that we need to start going to couple counseling and I told her no so she said that she at least wanted you to come to one of my sessions. Do you want to?"

"If it'll help you, yeah, of course."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Cameron. I just want you to be okay."

"We need to start planning our wedding."

"Is it still going to be small?" Damien asked.

"Yes."

"Alright. My mom is excited about the baby."

Cameron kept eating. "So you finally told her?"

"The other day, yeah."

"What did your father say?"

"…It's not important."

Cameron didn't push him on it.

* * *

"Fang, wake up."

He groaned, rolling onto his back. "Why?"

"Tyler's sick."

"What?"

"Yeah. I put Alex in Tabitha's room."

Fang got up. "Where is he?"

"Right here," I said, laying Tyler down on the bed. "He's going to sleep in bed with us."

Tyler sniffled. "My stomach hurts."

"Yeah, buddy, I know," Fang said, giving him a kiss on the head before looking at me. "Did he make it to the bathroom?"

"Yes."

"Good," Fang said, laying back down. As I climbed into bed next to him, he added, "We'll see about the doctor tomorrow."

I laid my head on Fang's chest, looking over at Tyler. "Are you okay over there? Do you want me to be next to you so that I can rub your tummy?"

"No. I'm sleepy."

"Then go to sleep," I told him, running a hand down Fang's stomach. "I love you."

"I love you too, Max," he said, closing his eyes.

"Don't I get an I love you?" Fang asked. I leaned up and kissed him.

"No."

Fang just frowned.


	5. Chapter 5

Living

Chapter 5

Turns out, Tyler just had a stomach virus. Thank God. Right now, Fang and I were watching TV in bed with Lucas and Cody. Today was the Saturday before the week before school starts and Tabitha was at Cameron's with Tommy and Tyler was over at Alex's. Perfect time to have sex and try to get pregnant, right? Wrong.

"Love 'oo," Lucas told his daddy before nuzzling his father's neck like he's seen Fang and I do.

"I love you too," Fang told him, giving the baby a kiss. Cody was laying in between us, chewing on a toy. "And you too, Cody."

The baby looked up. "Hi."

I smiled, giving him a kiss. "You're so smart, Cody. Huh?"

"Mommy!"

"You too, Lucas."

Content, he was back to kissing Fang and playing with his hair. Cody threw the toy down and tried to stand up. The bounciness of the bed made him fall back down. He got up, just to fall again. Frowning, he started to whine.

"Stop it," I told him. "Be a big boy."

The fourteen month old giggled when Fang leaned over and gave him a kiss, making Lucas fall off his chest.

"No," Lucas complained, getting back into Fang. "My Daddy."

"Oh, I am?" Fang asked, putting his hands behind his head. Lucas poked Fang's chest.

Yawning, I turned back to the TV. Half and Half was on. Nudge had told me that other day that I wasn't allowed to watch it because I couldn't appreciate its full impact, as I was not black, so I asked her why she watched Kendra. She shut up.

"I'm hungry," I told Fang.

'Really?"

"Just a little."

"You want to go out to eat?"

I looked down at my two boys. It's creepy but they were better behaved when we go out then Tyler and Tabitha. Whenever we went somewhere, it should be obvious that Tyler miss behaved but Tabitha would purposely get into fights with him, just to attract attention. So, yes, Cody and Lucas were better to take out.

"Yeah, sure."

* * *

Cameron was sleeping. Perfect time to look at her stomach. He stared at her stomach, sighing.

"Damien, stop. I'm not asleep."

"Oh…sorry."

Cameron yawned, opening her eyes. "Where are Tommy and Tabitha?"

"In his room."

Peter, who was next to her, woke up too. Stretching, the cat jumped off the bed and walked out of the room. Damien took the opportunity to moved to Peter's spot, which was closer to Cameron.

"Is Tabitha spending the night?"

"I think," Cameron said, reaching out to touch his hair. "It's getting longer."

"Yeah," Damien said, realizing that something else was too, as she ran her hands down his face. "Let's go downstairs."

"No," she said, running her hand down his chest. "I want to stay up here with you."

He was begging that she wouldn't press against him. "Want to watch TV?"

"No," she said, running her hand back up to his face. "Damien."

"What?"

"I love you."

He smiled a little. "I love you too."

"Good," she said, moving away from him. "Oh, and by the way, that's disgusting."

"What is?"

"That," she said, pointing down. "Go away."

"What?"

"I don't want to be around you anymore."

"Cameron, it was just-"

"If you won't leave, I will," she said, getting out of bed.

"Cameron, wait," he called after her, following. "Cam-"

"Hi, kids," Cameron said, walking into Tommy's bedroom, knowing that Damien wouldn't follow.

"Hi," Tommy said, staring at a piece of paper. Tabitha was tracing his hand on it.

"What are you two doing?"

"Tabitha's tracing my hand."

"But why?"

Tabitha took that one. "It's gonna be the tail of the peacock that I'm drawing."

"Oh."

Tommy finally looked up. "Mom said that her and Dad are breaking up again."

Cameron gave him a small smile. "That happens sometimes. Not everyone is right for another person."

"Me and Tommy are," Tabitha said. "Right, Tom?"

"Yeah," he said, looking back down at his hand. "Are you and Damien?"

"Yes."

"That's good," Tommy said. "For the baby too."

Cameron shook her head before walking back out of the room. "You two behave."

"We always behave," Tommy said.

"Right," Cameron said, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Lucas banged his toy on the table.

"Stop," I told him. "Be good."

Frowning, he went back to his food. Fang held up a fry to Cody and he happily ate it.

"So, when are we leaving?" Fang asked me.

"For the trip? I told Luther that we were taking off Monday thru Thursday. Did you tell your other job?"

"I took off Sunday until Friday."

"Good," I said, reaching over and picking up his burger.

"Hey-"

"Shut up," I said, taking a bite. Lucas reached for his sippy cup. He got soda today because he had been good. I knew that I would regret it later though.

Cody whined until his father fed him another fry.

"So do we even know where we're going?"

"Nope," I said, putting his burger back on the wrapper. "What are we doing after this?"

"Going home, I guess."

"But it's so boring there."

"What do you want to do, Max? We got these two with us," Fang said, gesturing to our youngest two. As if on cue, Lucas threw his toy at me and Cody pooped his pants. I hate life.

* * *

Fang was rubbing my shoulders. "How do you feel tonight?"

"Good. Why?"

"Just wonder…"

"Do you want to?" I asked.

"Want to…?"

"Yeah."

He kissed my shoulder. "We could."

"But?"

"But, I'm tired."

"Me too," I told him, closing my eyes. "Sex is so boring now."

Fang stopped rubbing my shoulders. "What?"

I sighed. "Fang, I didn't mean-"

"If you don't like having sex with me-"

"I love having sex with you."

He started on my shoulders again. "Then why's it boring?"

"It's not. It came out wrong."

"No, tell me."

I was on my stomach, my head in his pillow. He couldn't see me roll my eyes. "Fang-"

"Max, tell me." He was upset.

"I misspoke."

"What?" He got closer to my ear, hissing in it. "You want me to be like your old boyfriends? You want me to chain you up? Huh?"

"Fang, stop it," I said, pushing him off me.

"You said that you don't like sleeping with me!"

"I did not," I told him. "I said that it gets…old."

"Old?"

"Yeah, like…sometimes I just wish that…we could do different things."

"We do different things all the time!"

"What?"

"Yes," Fang continued. "Sometimes I'm on top, sometimes you are, sometimes we do it in the shower, sometimes we switch, there was that time that I-"

"Alright, Fang. Shut up, okay? Those aren't the things I was talking about so just shut up."

"Then what, Max?"

He was really upset and I hadn't even really said anything. "Fang, I don't-"

"What? You want me to go buy a bunch of porn and watch it with you? How about going to Luther's parties? Huh? Huh?"

"Fang, you are yelling."

"Am I? Gee, really?" He was breathing heavily too.

I sighed, again. "Fang, I love you."

"Yeah? For how long? I mean, you just said that I can't satisfy you."

"Those words never left my mouth. You know that you can-"

"Really? Huh?"

I looked into his eyes. "Really."

"I doubt it."

I ran a hand down his arm. "Do you want to have sex now?"

"No."

I laid back down. "Fine, you big baby."

"Whatever-"

"You hear what I called you?" I asked, beginning to smile.

"A big baby?"

"You're saying it wrong," I told him, running my hand down his arm again. "I said that you're big, baby."

"Oh, whatever."

"You are."

"Max, every time you say something about how bad sex is with me, you can't just fix it by saying that I have a big dick."

I kissed him. "And why not? It works just fine."

And it worked again.

* * *

"How are you, baby?"

"Good-"

"Not you, Cameron. I mean, yeah, you, but I was talking to the baby," he said, getting into bed.

Rolling her eyes, Cameron allowed him to kiss her stomach. "You're such a loser."

"Cameron, I thought we agreed to not talk that way in front of him."

Him. Cameron made Damien call the baby a boy, though they did not know yet. It was decided that they would call it a boy after Damien reminded Cameron that, if they had a girl, it would be named Samantha. It made her stomach revolt. How could she give her favorite name since the beginning of time to that, that thing's child?

To calm herself, she ran her hand down Damien's head. He had his head pressed against her stomach, smiling. His excitement about the baby made her feel good some days and worse the others. Her therapist told her that her resentment came from misplaced anger. She could no longer be angry with Damien, for the fear of losing him. Instead she placed the blame in the one thing that was stuck with her. The baby.

Ugh. Who needs psychology anyways?

"I'm going to church tomorrow," Damien told her after a minute. He moved up the bed so that he was level with her.

"Good," she said.

"I'd like for you to come."

"No, Damien."

He laid his head down after giving her a kiss. "Fine but when the baby's born, I'm taking it to church with me."

"Fine. Whatever."

He just kissed her head, something she was slowly allowing again. He'd show her. Give him a few years and she'd be quoting scripture. Not as well as him but hey. Not everyone can be.

"I can't wait for find out the sex."

"Why?"

"So that I can start buying it stuff. If it's a girl, it's gonna have a pink-"

"It's a boy. I already told you."

He gave her his signature smile. "What makes you so sure?"

"I'm Cameron, I know all."

He pulled the covers up around them more. "I love you, Cameron."

She yawned. "Yeah, well, I love sleep."

Again, he laughed.

* * *

Fang and I weren't fighting today but we weren't all too fond of each other either. It sucks when we have to work together like this. On the plus side, he doesn't bother me while I'm napping. Lucas didn't have the same goals.

"Mommy!"

"She's asleep," I heard Fang tell him.

"No."

"Bubba, let her-"

"Mommy!"

"What?" I asked, finally lifting up my head. "What is so important?"

"Love 'oo," he told him in his fake sweet voice. He just wanted me to pay him some attention. I picked him up and sat him in my lap.

"You do?"

"Yes!"

"Really?" I asked. Lucas leaned against me.

"Yes!"

"That's good," I told him, leaning down to kiss his head. "I love you too. Maybe even more."

Lucas giggled, patting my face. "Hi, Mommy."

"Hi," I said back, playing along with him. He's so cute when he wants to be. Lucas. "You know what we're doing tomorrow?"

"Wha'?"

"Going on vaction."

"Ya!"

I smiled, kissing him again. "You know what that is?"

"Wha'?"

"We go away from home and ride in the car. You like that, right?"

"Yes," he said, grabbing Sasuke off the counter. "Love, Sas-key."

"You do?"

He nodded, kissing the doll's head. "Love."

"You're so good," Fang butted in. "You're a nice boy, aren't you Lucas?"

"No."

"Yes you are," Fang told him. "Say yes for Daddy."

"Yes," he said, giggling when Fang kissed him. Going away with Fang was going to be…interesting, to say the least. We normally give each other a little space after a fight but not this time. Which is just great. God, I had life.

Cody started to whine from the floor. Fang got up and got him before sitting back down on his stool. Lucas reached out and touched his brother, giggling.

"Hi," Lucas said to him while Cody got distracted with the colors of Fang's shirt. Lucas didn't like this. "Hi!"

"Be quiet, baby," I told him. "You can't scream and yell. We're not at home. Be quiet."

He put his finger to his mouth, waiting for me to mimic him. When I did, he nodded, going back to Sasuke. Bone came in a few minutes later.

"Hey," I said to him, pushing him back when he kissed my head. Then he took Lucas from me, his real prize.

"Hi," Lucas said, patting Bone's face.

"Hi, Cross," he said, giving the baby a kiss on the head. Fang got up and gave me Cody.

"I'm going to do inventory," he told me, walking towards the back. Bone sat down next to me.

"Hi," Cody said. His voice was a lot higher in pitch than Lucas's was when he was a baby. It's really squeaky too.

Bone smiled at him but it was forced. Bone loved my children but Lucas had become his main focus. I know that I should be worried about that because he acts like Luke is his son but, honestly, Bone has been getting drunk a lot less and, as far as I know, being high is getting old for him.

"Go 'cat-sh-on?" Lucas asked Bone.

"No," Bone told him.

Lucas patted Bone's cheek. "'t's 'kay, Boon."

"Uncle Bone."

"Unal Boon."

"Good," Bone said, laying his head on top of the toddler's. Lucas giggled.

* * *

"What?"

"I don't like trips," Tyler told me. "I'm staying with Alex."

Alex nodded. "Yeah. You can leave now, Max."

I was being kicked out of the house by a five year old.

"Alex!" Her mother corrected. "_No seas grosero_."

"But can I stay?" Tyler asked. "Please?"

I hesitated. "If it's alright with you, Rosa."

Alex's mother nodded. "Yes, he can stay."

"Alright, bye," Tyler said, coming to hug me.

"Tyler-"

"See you later," he said. I gave him a hug before going back out to the car.

"Where's Ty?" Fang asked. "He can't spend the night. We're leaving in the morning."

"He said that he was staying. I'll bring him clothes after we pick up Tabitha."

"Max-"

"Fang, I don't want him coming if he's going to be grumpy."

Sighing, Fang started the car. "Fine. Guess it'll just be you, me, and the other three."

That's where Fang was wrong.

"If he's not going, then I don't have to."

I just stared at Tabitha. We were over at Cameron's and Tabitha was being bratty. What else is knew?

"No, Tabitha. Who would watch you? Tyler has Alex."

"She's my girlfriend," Tommy said. "I'll watch her."

Fang, who was looking at some comic with Damien, turned his attention to us. "No, you're not."

"Yes," Tommy said. "We love each other. Right Tabitha?"

"Yeah, sure," she said, not too concerned. "I just don't wanna go."

"She could stay here," Cameron said, walking down the stairs, her cat in her arms. "Or with Luther some nights."

"Yeah," Damien agreed, not really listening.

"Well, without them, there's no reason to go anywhere," I decided.

"Yes there is," Cameron told me. "You and Fang can go have fun alone."

"What about Lucas?"

"We'll take him too," Cameron offered. "Or Bone could-"

"No way," Fang said. "Besides, Max thinks that I'm _boring_."

"That's not what I meant!"

"See?" Cameron said, going to sit down on the couch. Peter purred as she rubbed his back. "We'll take your two cats too."

"Mom said that she will."

"She has to dog too though," she said. "We'll take Fox and Snickers."

"Alright," I said. "I'll bring over some clothes and the cats later."

"Okay," Cameron said. "Damien, you need to stop playing with Fang and go do those clothes like I told you earlier."

He frowned. "Here, Fang, you can keep take it, as long as you bring it back."

"Yeah, alright," Fang said. "Tabitha, are you sure that you don't want to come? You're going to leave me with Max?"

She went and gave him a hug. "Yes."

When did it become being stuck with me? "I'll drop Lucas off with the cats."

"Okay," Cameron said. "Cody's going to your mom's?"

"Yeah," I said, bouncing the baby in my arms. Lucas went over to Cameron and climbed up onto the couch with her.

"Hi, Cam," he said, reaching out to pet the cat. "Hi, Pete."

"Peter says hi back," Cameron told him. Lucas giggled.

"Me go 'cat-sh-on."

"No, Lucas, you're not," I told him.

He frowned at me but kept petting the cat. Fang went and snatched him up.

"Ready, bubba?" He asked, setting the two year old on his shoulders. Lucas giggled.

"Yes!"

"Alright," Fang said. "Bye, Tabitha. I love you."

"I love you too."

Tommy frowned. "I love you more, Tabitha."

She laughed again. I gave her a kiss before leaving. When I got home, I took the bag that had Tyler's stuff in it and drove over to the Mendoza's. After that, I went back home to get the cats and Lucas and Tabitha's clothes.

"Fang, say goodbye to Lucas," I said, going into the living room. Fang was on the couch, napping. He would be doing all the driving tomorrow. He thinks that I can't drive. Please.

"You're leaving me, bubba?" He asked, taking the baby from me. "Huh?"

"Yeah," Lucas said, patting his cheek. "Miss."

"I'll miss my best friend too," Fang said.

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

Lucas giggled. "Love 'oo."

"I love you too," Fang said, sitting up a little. "You can't forget Sasuke, can you?"

"What?" I asked.

"It's in the playpen."

"Oh," I said, going to get the doll. "Cameron and Damien would have had hell without him."

Lucas cheered when I brought over his plush. "Sas-key!"

"Yep," I said, taking him from Fang. "Mom called and said that she'll come by around ten to get Tank and Cody."

"Cool," Fang said, laying back down. "You'll be back before then, right?"

"Yes, Fang. It's only six."

He closed his eyes. "Bye, Luke."

"Bye-bye," he said, laying his head against me. I put him in the car before going to get the cats. When I pulled up, Tommy and Tabitha were playing in the front yard, Damien watching them.

"Hey," I said, walking up. Damien took the bag from me, along with the cat carrier that had Snickers in it. Lucas and Fox were still in the car.

"Let me get this stuff," he said, taking that in side before going to get Fox and Luke.

"Thank you," I said as he took Lucas and his kitty inside.

"It's nothing," he said as I followed him in. Damien went back outside to watch the soon to be 1st graders. Cameron smiled from the couch.

"Hi, Lucas," she said as he sat down in front of Fox's cat carrier.

"Fox!"

I opened it for him. The cat looked around, scared. The second I let Snickers out, she ran out of the room.

"What about the litter box?"

Cameron shrugged. "Damien can deal with that."

I smiled at her. Cameron was lucky. She ate three times as much as she normally does and is barely showing. If I ate like her, Tammie wouldn't be the only fat one. "Thanks for taking them."

She shrugged. "No problem."

Her cat jumped down from her lap and went over to Fox. The black cat looked at the orange one with interest.

"Is Snickers spayed?" Cameron asked. "Peter's not-"

"Snickers is fixed," I said as Lucas went over to Cameron.

"Hi, Cam," he said, climbing up next to him.

"Can you tell Mommy goodbye?" Cameron prompted.

"Bye-bye," Lucas said. I don't think he really understands that tomorrow I won't be there but whatever. I gave him a kiss.

"I love you," I told him. "See you when I get back."

He giggled as I left. When I got home, Fang was still asleep. Rolling my eyes, I went to check on Cody. He too was asleep. God.

* * *

Fang and I were in the car, driving. It was so boring. We weren't talking either. Fang didn't like that.

"Are we still trying to get pregnant?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I wouldn't want to bore you."

I ignored him, leaning my head against the window. "Think they'll even miss me?"

"Yeah," Fang said. "Of course. They love you, Max."

"I know."

"Good."

I closed my eyes. "Did you shower this morning?"

"Why?"

"You smell really good."

He smiled. "Maybe being around kids makes me stinky."

"Fang, it's just us. Don't use words like stinky."

"Why not?"

"Say…smells like shit."

"Max."

Smiling, I said, "Remember back before Tyler got sick? I said that I wanted to go away, just the two of us."

Fang nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

"But then all that stuff happened."

Glancing at me, he added, "I wanted to take you somewhere nicer than just driving around. Like…you like the cold, right?"

"Yeah."

"I wanted to take you to New York or something."

"California is way better than stupid New York," I told him.

"Actually, California has a failing economy right now."

"…Fang?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it look like I really care?"

"No."

"Alright then. I was scared for a second."

"This is a long drive," Fang said a few minutes later after we had fallen into silence.

"Yeah." When we were going to take the kids with us, we were just going to drive. Now, I had told him last night that I wanted him to drive to California.

"When we get to Santa Cruz, you can do what you want but I'm sleeping."

"Sleep? Fang, we finally get rid of the kids and you do exactly what you'd do if they were here."

"And? I like our life. I sleep, I work, I go to my other job, come home, eat, poop, read Lucas a story, go to sleep, and start all over again. What's wrong with that?"

"You're hopeless."

He sat up a little straighter. "So what if I am? Besides, what am I going to do in Santa Cruz?"

"Fang, we're not fifty. We can go out."

"You can't drink."

"Fang, come on-"

"No. End of story. No stupid clubs with dumbass music and idiots with no lives, no bars with stupid drunks, and absolutely no trying to pick up guys but not really because I'm right next to you."

I groaned like he had hit me in the head. "Then what's there to do?"

"I'm taking you shopping, out to eat, and you can go to the beach, with a shirt on."

"Fang."

"What?"

I hate my life.


	6. Chapter 6

Living

Chapter 6

Fang wasn't lying. The second that we checked in, Fang went to sleep.

"Fang?"

He grunted.

"So you're up?"

Again with the grunt.

"You've been asleep for two hours."

He rolled onto his back. "What time is it?"

"Almost eight."

Yawning, he said, "You want to go get something to eat?"

"No," I said, moving to lay my head on his chest. "I want to just…hang out. You know, like we never have had a chance to."

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking down at me.

"You know," I said. "Normal couples spend their first months just…dating. We were taking care of the kids."

Fang ran a hand down my back. "Speaking of that, I need to call-"

"Fang."

"What?" He gave me a kiss on the head. "You know that you miss them too."

"We haven't even been gone a full day."

"So?" Getting up, he went to get his cell off the top of the TV. "Besides, it's almost time for them to go to bed. Or at least Cody and Lucas."

"Call Mom first," I said. "I want to hear Cody."

"Oh, is he your favorite this week?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Fang sat on the edge of the bed. "This week I pick…Tyler."

"Liar."

* * *

After eating dinner, Damien took Lucas up to his bedroom to watch TV. Cameron went to make Tommy and Tabitha get ready for bed.

"Alright, Luke, you want to watch Scooby?"

"Yes," Lucas said, sniffling. He hadn't seen his mommy since before bedtime yesterday. She made him stay here all alone. Where was she? "Mommy dere?"

Damien sighed, laying him down on the bed. "Here, you want Sasuke?"

Lucas giggled as Damien rubbed the toy against his neck. "Sas-key!"

"Yeah," Damien said, getting down on the bed. "Are you happy?"

"Yes!"

"Good," he said as Cameron walked in.

"Hey, Lucas," she greeted, going to give him a kiss. The baby giggled.

"Wan' Mommy."

"I know," Cameron said, laying down. "She's not here though."

Damien put on Scooby Doo. "How's your stomach today?"

"Good," Cameron said.

"Tommy and Tabitha go to bed?"

"No. They're watching TV in his bedroom."

He pulled Lucas to him. "Lucas, do you think that I'll be a good daddy?"

"No my daddy."

"I know I'm not your daddy. I was asking if you thought I would be a good daddy."

Lucas didn't understand the question so he just moved over to Cameron. "Hi, Cam."

She smiled at him. "Hi."

Giggling, he patted her stomach. 'Hi, ba-be."

Cameron rolled her eyes while Damien smiled. Her cell rang.

"Hello? Oh, hey Max." She looked down at Lucas. "Lucas, guess who's on the phone?"

He cocked his head to the side. Cameron put the phone against his ear.

"Say hi," she prompted.

"Hi," he said, still confused. Then he made a shocked face. "Mommy!"

He fell over, giggling. "Mommy!"

Cameron put the phone back to his ear, letting her say goodbye before leaving to go give the phone to Tabitha. Damien laid down on his back.

"Are you even watching Scooby?"

The baby patted Damien's stomach. "Yes."

"Oh yeah? What's going on then?"

Lucas ignored him, now content. His mommy was just in the phone. She'd be here to pick him up soon. He crawled under the covers next to Damien He waited for Cameron to come back to cuddle against her and go asleep.

"See?" Damien whispered, turning the TV off as not to disturb the toddler. "Having a kid will be great."

Cameron took the Sasuke doll from the baby's mouth, not wanting him to choke. "I guess."

"Is he sleeping with us again?"

Cameron nodded. "Yeah. He's so cute."

Damien leaned over the baby to kiss Cameron's head. "I love you, Cammie."

"Yeah, alright."

"I do. And the baby too."

Lucas moaned, not liking them talking. Cameron ran a hand down the baby's back before getting up.

"Where are you going?" Damien asked.

"To go check on Peter."

"What do you mean check?"

"Those other cats might be being mean to him," she said, making Damien smile.

* * *

It was about eleven and we were watching drunk people on the beach. I never knew how much fun it was to watch them. I wonder if people ever used to watch me.

"It's late."

"Yeah," I said as one guy fell into the ocean. They moved on after about ten minutes and the beach was silent again.

"When do you want to walk back?"

"Not now," I said.

"But when?"

"I don't know."

Fang sighed. "I want to get back to the room and take a shower."

We sat there for another ten minutes before Fang made me leave. We walked back to the motel room, holding hands.

"It's so…quiet," I said as we got back to the room.

Fang snorted. "Are you kidding me? People need to learn to turn down their music."

"I meant us. We're just…chilled."

Fang pulled off his shirt. "I'm showering."

"Me too."

He turned to me and pulled off my shirt and took of my bra. Fang picked me up and carried me into the bathroom, where he finished undressing me. After out long shower, Fang dressed me in one of his shirts and laid us down in bed.

"Comfy?"

"Yeah," I said, cuddling against him. He turned on the TV, putting it on Criminal Minds. Way to ruin the mood…

At a commercial, he let me talk without complaining.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"We could go shopping," he offered.

I closed my eyes. "I guess."

"Or we could just stay in bed all day."

"Whatever you want."

He kissed my head. "We'll decide later."

"Y-"

"Shhh, it's back on."

I fell asleep. When I woke up, the TV was on but Fang was asleep. I turned if off before rolling away from him.

"I was watching that."

"Liar."

"Well, I was listening at least."

"Sure."

"I was." He pulled me back to him. "What time is it?"

I looked over him and saw the clock on the side table. "Three in the morning."

He kissed me. "Wanna-"

"No. The shower was enough."

He just frowned.

* * *

Lucas missed his mommy, his daddy, his bubba, his baby bubba, and Tank. He sniffled as Cameron picked him up.

"It's okay, Lucas. Really."

He leaned against her. Damien had taken Tabitha and Tommy out so it was just the two of them. Cameron carried him into the living room and sat him on the floor next to Fox, who was licking himself.

"Hi, Fox," Lucas said, his voice sad. Why did Mommy leave him? Couldn't she come out of the phone? Cameron laid down on the couch, turning on the TV.

"Lucas, why can't you be happy? Huh?"

"Miss Mommy."

"I know."

"Miss Daddy."

"He and Mommy are together."

"Miss Ty."

"I'll see if you can see him-"

"Miss Boon. Un-al Boon."

She sighed. "You want to see Bone?"

"Yes!"

"Alright," she said. "Maybe later."

Lucas petted his cat. "Love Boon!"

"I know you do. I don't know why though. I don't like him, Lucas. He's scary."

Lucas had grown tired of her and was now kissing Fox. He loved kissing. Mostly because no one likes it. For Lucas couldn't just kiss, he had to slobber too. Fox was not a happy camper.

* * *

Fang kissed my sweaty head. "In a few minutes, let's go get something to eat."

I closed my eyes. "No. I want to stay in bed for awhile."

"Fine," he said. "I'll just go get us something and bring it back."

"You know, we didn't even need to drive all the way out to California. We could have just drove out of town and stayed at a hotel."

Kissing my shoulder, Fang said, "Yeah. The beach is nice though."

I opened my eyes. "I want to call the babies. Cameron said that Lucas is upset."

"Your favorite for today?"

"Yeah," I said as Fang got me my phone.

"Hello?" Cameron answered when I called her.

"Hey, Cam. Is Lucas there?"

"Yeah, hold on," she said. I heard her prompt Lucas like she had the night before.

"Hi," he said, already giggling. "Mommy?"

"Hi, Luke. Do you miss me?"

"Yes! Mommy 'ome 'ack!"

"I'll be home soon, baby."

"Don't lie to him, Max," Fang said before taking the phone from me. "Lucas? It's Daddy. Yeah. Do you miss me? Huh?"

I snatched the phone back. "Lucas? Ignore Daddy. You miss me."

"Hi, Mommy," he told me. "Fox hi."

It took me a second to decode that. "Tell Fox I say hi back."

"Mommy hi, Fox," he said before speaking to me again. "Me go ni-ni, Mommy. Cam 'ere."

"Yeah, you're staying with Cameron, huh?"

"Yes." He made a gasping noise. "Mommy, me go pee-pee. No move."

He sat the phone down and I could hear him tell Cameron that he had to go pee. Lucas was the most concerned kid I've ever seen as far as being potty trained went.

"Max? He's going to the bathroom," Cameron told me.

"I know. He said for me to wait."

She laughed. "He really does miss you."

"I know. What about Tabitha?"

"Not really. Her and Tommy haven't been fighting yet though, so that's good."

"Mommy!" I heard Lucas yell from the background.

"Wash your hands," Cameron reminded. I heard him giggle. A minute later, she gave him the phone back.

"Mommy? Dere? Mommy dere?"

"Yes, Lucas."

He giggled. "Me pee-pee!"

"I know. You're such a big boy."

"What did he do?" Fang asked. He really wanted to talk to Lucas but he was just going to have to suffer.

"Me 'ike cook-ees, Mommy," Lucas told me. When he didn't have anything else to talk about, he just kind of rambles. "Chalk-o-lot. Fox no eatens dem. Mack 'im sick."

"Yeah," I said, sighing. "You want to talk to Daddy?"

"Yes!"

I handed the phone over before going to get dressed.

"Are you going with me?" Fang asked after he hung up.

"No. I just wanted to be dressed."

He gave me a kiss. "You're such a mean person."

"Hmmm…I know."

When he got back, we ate, had more sex, and then napped again. Vacation is boring.

* * *

Damien was playing a board game with Tommy and Tabitha while Lucas was in his lap when Cameron came downstairs.

"Damien?"

"What?" He asked, looking up.

"We…Come here for a second."

He sat Lucas on the floor next to Snickers before going over to her. "What's wrong?"

She glanced at the kids, making sure that they weren't listening, before speaking in a hushed whisper. "I…need you."

"Need me to what?" He asked, already exhausted by the thought.

"No," she said, glancing at the kids again. She pulled him further way. "I want…Damien, I want to have sex. Tonight. No, now."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Cameron-"

"Please?"

He looked off past her. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"For one, they're here and for two…no more."

"Huh?"

"No more of that. Not till we're married."

She crossed her arms, huffing. "Damien, in the bible, when you got married I highly doubt there was a freaking marriage certificate. You just said that she was your wife."

"So?"

"Start calling me your wife, I'm your wife."

"No, Cameron, you can't just bend the-"

"Damien, I need this."

He was starting to waver. "What about the baby?"

"I'll send Lucas to Bone. He's been wanting-"

"No. The baby. Our baby."

She frowned. Their baby her ass. "What about it?"

"Won't sex…hurt it?"

"No, stupid!"

"Are you sure?"

She groaned, moving away from him. "Call Bone and tell him to pick them up."

"Cameron-"

"Now."

* * *

Fang and I were shopping when I decided that I wanted to talk to Tabitha. I had forgotten about talking to her when we were on the phone with Lucas earlier. I called Cam's cell.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Damien."

"Who's that?" I heard Cameron whisper in the background.

"Max, we're kind of busy," Damien said. Rude much?

"I want to talk to Tabitha."

"She's not here."

"Alright then, how about Lucas?"

"No."

"Where are they?"

"With Bone. Max, I have to-"

"Wait, are you two…Sorry! Bye," I hung up quickly, making Fang look at me.

"Where're the kids?"

"With Bone," I said, putting my phone away.

"Well aren't you going to call him then?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Maybe later."

Were they…having sex? Wow. Once we got back to the hotel, Fang flipped through the channels until he came to the news. I laid down next to him.

"Now what?"

"Shhh. News."

I rolled my eyes. Cuddling under covers, I went ahead and took another nap. When Fang woke me up again, he was kissing my neck.

"Max?"

"Hmmm?"

"I got us some more food."

"Thanks."

He blew in my ear.

"What the hell is up with you?" I pushed him away. "That annoys the crap out of me."

Smiling, he pulled on my arm until I sat up. Then he made me sit in my lap. I grabbed the bag with food in it and opened it.

"I'm not really hungry," I said.

"Yes you are," he said, kissing the side of my head. After we ate, he let me lay back down, as long as I was right next to him.

"Are you wanting more sex or what?"

"I'm making our time last, Max. Friday, we're back to the house, fighting everyday. I want you to know that I love you, no matter what I say."

"I know that you do."

He laid his head on top of mine so that my face was in his neck. After about an hour of listening to the news and staring at Fang's neck, I got bored and pushed him away.

"What?"

I got up and grabbed my cell. "I'm calling Bone to talk to the kids."

'God, I can't believe he has them. He had better not have the at his house with those dogs."

I rolled my eyes, calling Tyler first. All he had to say was that he was a very busy man and I need to learn to schedule appointments. Then he giggled and said he missed and loved me.

* * *

"Cameron?"

"What?"

He turned on his side to face her. She had her back to him. "Was it…okay?"

"I'm not playing cheerleader for you today, Damien. I'm done trying to make you feel better about sex."

"Okay," he said, not sure what that meant. He knew better not to ask. "I love you, Cameron."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

She sighed. "You were good, Damien. I love you too."

He brightened and ran a hand down her side, making her flinch. "Sorry. I just thought that now we-"

"Shut up, okay?"

He pulled the blanket up around the two of them. "Why?"

"Because your voice annoys-"

"No. I meant why did you want to have sex?"

"Really, Damien?"

"I meant, why did you have to have it today?"

She was quiet for a minute before speaking. "I just…I needed to know if I still could get that close to you. I didn't want to make you marry me and not even be able to have sex with you."

"Cammie," he sighed, still looking at her back. They laid in silence for a few minutes before speaking again. "You ever think about getting a tattoo?"

"No."

"Oh."

She stretched a little. "Did you ever get a tattoo for James?"

"Not yet. I need to."

Rolling over to face him, she said, "Get a moon."

"Why?"

"Because he's mixed."

"So?"

"Whenever half of the moon is light up and white, the other side is dark and black."

He stared at her face. "I love you."

"Damien, stop."

"No," he said, moving to give her a kiss, which she dodged. "I really do love you."

"I know. You don't have to keep repeating it."

"Yeah, I do," he said, laying his head down on her pillow.

She rolled her eyes. "You don't need anymore tattoos."

"What?"

"You don't one have for Lucas, Cody, or me yet. You get one for James, it's your last one."

"Cameron-"

"No. I'm fine with the tattoos you have now but no more."

"Fang gets-"

"Does look like I'm having to stare at Fang's naked body? No. Max can let him do whatever the hell she wa-"

"Cammie, don't say that word."

She sighed. "You're hopeless."

Damien moved down the bed so that he could kiss her stomach. "Hi, baby."

"Stop it."

"What?"

"That's stupid. It can't hear you."

"I think she can."

"Not she, Damien."

He just sighed, moving back up the bed. "Few more months and we'll know for sure, huh?"

She closed her eyes. "Call Bone and tell him that you're going to go get the kids."

"Cameron, we can-"

"No, I'm going to sleep," she said, getting up. She put on something of his to wear to bed.

"Well, are you hungry? It's only like-"

"Just go get the kids, make sure their fed and make Tabitha take a bath. Tommy will in the morning."

"Lucas?"

"Tabby can use the guest bathroom and you can give him one in our bathtub."

He kissed her, ignoring the flinch this time. "Alright. Be back soon."

"'Kay. And bring Peter to me before you leave."

"Of course."

* * *

We left the hotel on Thursday morning and got back in the afternoon. When we got back to town, we stopped by the house first to drop off our bags before going to get Tyler.

"Did you miss me?" I asked as I walked him back out to the car. He held my hand tightly.

"Yes. Did you miss me?" He questioned.

"Of course. That's why I got you first, silly."

Then we went to Mom's. Cody was sleeping when I went inside to get him. Fang went into the back to get Tank.

"Hi, Cody."

He opened his eyes slightly, staring at me. "Hi."

I kissed his head. "Thank you, Mom."

She smiled at me. "As long as you and Fang had a good time."

"We did," I said, picking up the baby's diaper bag. We went home and put Tank in the backyard. Fang kept the two boys while I went to get the others.

"Hey," Damien said, opening the front door. I walked into the house, looking for Lucas.

"Where's Lucas?"

"Upstairs," he said, going to the bottom of them. "Cameron! Max is here."

She came down the stairs with Lucas in her arms. He looked like he had been crying. With his head placed in her shoulder, he couldn't see me.

"Lucas, look who's here," Cameron prompted when she got to the bottom of the stairs. He didn't move.

"Lucas, aren't you happy?" I asked, reaching over to take him. Then he noticed it was me.

"Mommy!" He started crying, big tears. I frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Sniffling, he wrapped his arms around my neck. "Miss 'oo!"

"That doesn't mean you cry."

He started moaning. As I rubbed his back, I asked, "Where's Tabitha?"

"Tabby, come on," Damien called. She slowly came down the stairs.

"Max," she began. "Remember when you and Daddy weren't married?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"Me and Tommy aren't married but we want to be like you."

Tommy took over from there. "Yeah. Tabitha's moving in with me."

Cameron groaned. "No, she's not."

"Yes. She's going to move into my house with Mom."

Tabitha nodded. "Yeah."

"No, you're not," I told her. "Now come on. Get your bag."

"But Max-"

"No."

She started fake crying and ran out to the car. Tommy ran back upstairs. Damien had already put my cats in their carriers and took them out to the car for me.

"Thank you," I told him. Lucas was done crying; now just leaning heavily against me. "Can you say bye, Luke?"

He just moaned, holding to me tighter. I gave him a kiss on the head before putting him into his car seat.

"No! Mommy!"

"I'm right here," I said, getting into the drivers side. "See?"

He just whined. When I got home, Fang was sitting on the front porch steps, waiting.

"Tabitha," he ran to pick her up but she walked past him. "Tabby-"

"I want to move in with Tommy."

"What? No."

"Then I hate you," she said, going into the house. Fang came to help me get the cats but instead got caught up seeing Lucas.

"I missed you," he told the baby, taking him from the car seat. Lucas began his crying all over again. "What's wrong? Huh?"

"I think he's just happy," I said, getting the bags. Fang moved Lucas to his shoulders before getting the cats.

"Are you happy?" He asked the baby. "Is that it?"

He was no longer crying, too scared of falling if he did so. Fang put the cats on the floor before taking Lucas back into his arms.

"No 'eave!"

"I won't," Fang promised him. The toddler sniffled. "Ty?"

"Tyler, come here," I called, walking into the house. "Where's Cody, Fang?"

"In his crib."

Tyler came down the stairs. "What?"

"I just want to see you," I said, hugging him again. "I'm sure your sister-"

"I saw her. She yelled at me to get out of the bathroom. I was going poop, Max! I still gotta go."

"Ew. Go use my bathroom."

"Hi, Ty!" Lucas yelled.

"Yeah, hi," Tyler said, running towards the master bedroom. Ew. And Tabitha was still in the upstairs bathroom? God, he smells without pooping.

Lucas kissed Fang. "Miss?"

"Of course I missed my best friend," Fang said, kissing Lucas back. "I love you."

Giggling, the baby looked at me. "Mommy?"

"I love and missed you too."

Now content, he wiggled in Fang's arms. He let him go and the baby ran to the kitchen. "Juice!"

I looked at Fang. "Aren't you glad we're back?"

He gave me the same look I was giving him. "Absolutely."

* * *

**September**

The first day of school came and went without problems. Tyler was in the same class as Alex this year. Tommy's parents lived in a different school district now and we didn't have to worry about Tabitha and her jealousy.

Tyler wasn't having problems accepting his new class. I think that it's because he has a male teacher. I don't get why he doesn't get along with women but he is going to need to get over that.

Being without them again is weird. I was in living room, bored.

"I'm about to go to work."

I glanced at Fang. "I'm fucking bored."

"Fuck," Lucas repeated. "Fuckin' bowed."

"Stop it," Fang told him before glaring at me. "No cursing, remember?"

I groaned before looking at Cody, who was on the floor, petting Fox. "Fang, you want to stay home and I go?"

"Me? No."

"Yes. Please? You can sleep and eat and…play with them."

Fang sighed. "I guess there is a game on today-"

"Great, thanks," I said, getting up to give him a kiss. "Alright, bye."

"Yeah, alright," he said, going to sit down on the floor. He picked up Cody, holding him above his head.

When I got to the store, Bone was there, listening to his loud music. I turned it off.

"Hey," he said as I sat down next to him.

"Hi," I greeted, smiling.

"Fang? Work?"

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to come in."

"Glad."

We had been talking for awhile when a woman walked in. She was the stereotypical nerdy girl. True, I'll say they tend to be white girls who want to be Japanese and this girl was Mexican but she was still obviously nerdy. I greeted her, like I did all the customers. Bone didn't say anything. He was looking down at his phone at the moment, in a heated text battle with some woman.

When the girl walked up, she sat ten mangas down on the counter. I smiled at her.

"This all?"

"Yeah. I wonder if you knew where the closet-"

"Victoria." Bone looked up. "I should know your voice anywhere."

"Artemis?"

I had never heard anyone call him that in my life. I can assume that his family that bothers him does but that's only assumption.

"Yeah," he said, getting up. He walked around the counter to hug her. I'm the only girl he ever hugs. "This is a long way from Pennsylvania."

"I could say the same thing to you," she said, finally letting him go. "God, I haven't see you in forever."

Bone smiled at her. He only smiles at me. "Are you just visiting?"

"No. My stupid job got me stuck down here."

"Where are you going after this?"

She sighed, staring at him for a second. "I was going to ask where the nearest grocery store is."

He reached down and took her hand. "I'll show you."

"Art…"

"I'm just taking you to the store," he said. "Max won't mind, right?"

"Yeah, of course not."

"See?" Bone turned. "Take the books out of my check."

"Artemis-"

"It's fine," he said, leading her away. "Bye, Max. Love."

"I love you too."

"Is that your girlfriend?" She asked him as he opened the door.

"No," he said. "That's my new sister."

* * *

"I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with it but she's fat, Fang. Like fat, fat. I mean, she's not obese but she short and chunky."

Fang groaned. "Shut up about it, Max. Why do you care?"

"That's not the type of girl Bone goes for. And she called him by his real name."

"Luther gave him the name Bone, I think. If she knew him when he was growing up, yeah, that's the name that she would know."

"Still," I said, rolling to turn my back to him, now facing the TV. Ew, it was some crime show. Fang kissed my head.

"You had better not be jealous."

"Shut up."

He laughed, his chest vibrating against my back. "Hey, baby, guess what?"

"What?"

"I love you."

"Shut up."

"I do."

"Fang…"

"What?"

I laughed as his hands ran down my stomach. Then I sobered. "Fang, it's just…I care about him, like I do Iggy. We don't know this girl."

"No, but Bone does," Fang said. "Besides, he uses women all the time. If this girl happens to do that to him, he's just getting his own medicine."

"I know. And I'm not saying that they're even going to date," I said. "I mean, Bone's only into skinny girls. Cute girls. Hot girls."

"You really don't like fat people."

"I do to!"

"I've always thought that heavy women are cute. Not white ones. Black ones."

"You and Luther."

"No. Luther just likes Tammie. He knew her when she wasn't big. I like…never mind."

"You're such a creep."

"What?" He pulled me closer to him. "You're not going to get all jealous and stuff?"

"No. Trust me, I have nothing to worry about."

"Why's that?"

"No other woman wants you. Not black, white, Indian, Mexican, Asian. No one. I'm safe."

"But if Tammie ever started paying some extra attention to me-"

"You'd be dead."

"Thought so."

"And after Luther's killed you, I'll do unthinkable things to your body."

"Sounds like fun."

"Oh, you'll see just how much fun it can get."

* * *

"Damien?"

"What?"

"Go get me that ice cream in the freezer."

He groaned. "Cameron, it's late."

"But I'm hungry and scared of the dark."

He moved to kiss her head before getting out of bed. "Alright."

Peter meowed before rolling a little, taking Damien's spot. That cat was such a traitor. Always taking his stuff and his girl. Damien was honestly kind of afraid of the dark too so uphe went quickly down the stairs, getting the carton of ice cream and a spoon before rushing back upstairs.

"Here you go," he said, laying down while holding the ice cream out to her.

"It's chocolate."

"Is it?"

"Yeah," Cameron said, sitting up. "Here, open your mouth."

She fed him a bite and then ate some herself. Peter meowed at them.

"Sorry, baby," she told him. "I can't feed you this. It'll hurt you."

Finally, something he got that his cat didn't. Geez, that made him sound like a loser, fighting with his cat. Cameron held some up to his mouth and Damien ate it.

"Tomorrow, I'm off."

Cameron smiled. "Good. Let's stay in bed in the morning."

"Alright," he said. "Is Tommy staying over on the weekend?"

"I don't know," Cameron said, eating some more. "Don't you let me eat all of this. I need you to take it downstairs in a minute."

"Alright," he said.

She held up some more to his mouth. "Trent and Mary are really over now."

"Sure." He'd say that he'd believe it when he saw it in writing but that's what the divorce papers had been for and look where they had gotten them. "I'll believe it when I see it in stone."

"Careful or else Trent'll buy you a stone with their names in it next time they hook-up."

"You just said that they were really over."

"For now," Cameron said, shrugging. "She needs him."

"How?"

"I don't know," Cameron admitted. "All I know is that she's so dependent on him. She could do better."

He paused. "Can you do better?"

She glanced at him. Since she had gotten back, all she had done was cut him down. Before, she was always having to build him up. Here was her chance to make things back to the old way. "Of course not, Superman. You're the best there is."

"I could be stronger…and richer."

And hotter and more confident and… Wait, wasn't she supposed to be building him up? "No. I love you. Anything else would just mess you up. You're perfect."

"No one's perfect."

"You are."

He opened his mouth when she held out some ice cream to him. After swallowing, he said, "Not really. You're more perfect than me."

"I doubt it."

"I don't."

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

Luther just went into the kitchen. Tammie followed him.

"Luther-"

"It's my house, ain't it?"

"Yeah but you-"

"Is that jackass here?"

"Who? Damien?"

"No. Justin."

"We broke up like three weeks ago."

Luther started making himself some nachos. "Did he ever stay here?"

"No, stupid."

"James here or with your mother?"

"He's here, sleeping in his room." Tammie relaxed a little. "Are you and my brother still fight?"

"I don't know. I haven't really talked to him."

"Oh," she said as he put the plate in the microwave. "Do you want to-"

"I picked up Tabitha from school and took her out to get ice cream. After that day with her, thinking about sex with you is nasty. Besides, if I wanted sex, I'd go to someone else."

"What? I'm not good enough for you?" She asked, now offended. "Am I not attractive to you?"

"Never said that," he said as the microwave dinged. He took back out the plate. "Very sure I never said that."

Again, she relaxed. "Who's at the store?"

"Bone. Some girl showed up that he used to know so he's not happy about being there. I told him it was either him or Max so he said him, not wanting her there."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He's weird." Luther walked out to the living room. "Tabitha's spending the night on Saturday."

"What?"

"Yeah. That's why I'm back, to make sure that it's clean and that you haven't fucked with anything too important."

"Luther-"

"Look, you can still stay here. I don't care. I just don't want that thing in my house."

"Bone?"

Even Luther had to laugh.


	7. Chapter 7

Living

Chapter 7

**October**

"Because I want to."

"Well, I don't."

"Why?"

"It's a boy."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I freaking do."

"No, you don't, Cameron," Damien said. God, they fight like children. "I'm finding out and just won't tell you."

"What's there to tell? It's a boy."

Damien looked at me. "Don't I have a right to know?"

Great. They act like I'm the one that brought them together or something…oh yeah. "It's her body, Damien."

"It's my baby," he said.

"No," Cameron told him. "It's my baby. You had nothing to do with it."

The second she said it, Cameron knew she had said the wrong thing. Damien paid for his books.

"Damien, I didn't-"

"Leave me alone," he said, pulling out his keys. "Here, drive back home. I'll walk over to work."

She sighed as he left before looking at me. "Now what?"

I shrugged. "You hurt him. He really loves that baby, Cameron."

"But I don't…"

This was not her first confession of this to me but each time she told me, there seemed to be less drive in it. I think she does care about it, she just doesn't want anyone to know.

"Fang likes baseball."

"What?"

I nodded. "A lot. I watch it with him. I pretend to like it too."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Damien like stuff."

"He hates football."

"He likes basketball."

She frowned. "No, he doesn't."

"Yeah he does."

"How do you know?"

"Remember when I was taking care of James?" I asked. "His mom used to call me all the time. She said something about it. He was afraid of the people on the basketball team because they all teased him but he would play with some other guys at the park and stuff. He was good. Or so she says."

Cameron sighed. "Basketball is out of season until the end of October."

"…Then buy him a basketball goal."

"What?"

Honestly, Tyler had asked for one for Christmas but I figured if they got one, I could get out of buying it. "Yeah."

"No. What if I just buy him something else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know." She looked down at the keys in her hand. "I'll see you later, Max."

"Bye."

After she was gone, I waited a good two minutes before going back to sleep. If we were getting a customer by then, we weren't going to get one.

"Hey."

I looked up. It was about a hour later and it was Bone. "Hey."

He kissed my head before going off to the back. He came back with books to restock. "Home."

"Bone, I have another hour."

"Go."

I got up. "Fine but if Luther shows up-"

"Don't scare me none. Go," he ordered. "Love."

"I love you too," I said, leaving. When I got home, Tyler was waiting for me.

"Hi, Max," he said. He was holding a piece of paper.

"Hi. What's that?"

"A piece of paper."

"Tyler."

"It's my list."

"Your list for what?"

"List of my favorite things."

"Why do you need it?"

"For school," he said. "I want to know how to spell Snickers."

I told him and he ran off, headed upstairs. Going down the hallway, I went into my bedroom. Fang was playing with Lucas and Cody.

"Hey, baby," I said, getting into bed.

"Hey," Fang said, leaning over to kiss me.

"What's for dinner?"

Fang shrugged. "I don't know. What do you want?"

I reached over to grab the remote. "I don't know."

Sighing, he got up. "Watch them for me, alright?"

"Yeah."

He went out of the room, probably to go find something for dinner. Lucas patted me.

"Hi, Mommy."

"Hi, baby."

He giggled. "Love 'oo."

"I love you too."

Cody curled against me. Luke didn't like that.

"No! Me Mommy!"

"Leave him alone," I told Lucas as he tried to pull his younger brother away. "Be good."

He made a noise of displeasure.

"Max?" Tabitha opened the bedroom door.

"Come get in bed with us," I told her. She ran to get up onto Fang's side. I smiled at her. "What's wrong?"

She started playing with the ring necklace Tommy had given her when they first got back together. "Tommy said that Damien's not the daddy of Cameron's baby. Who is?"

Great… "Damien is."

"Really?" She looked hard at me. "Tommy said that he wasn't."

"What does Tommy know?"

"Everything, Max."

"No," I said. "He doesn't."

"Yes."

"Tabitha, Tommy tells you things that he thinks he hears. I tell you what I know."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am. I always am," I told her. Fang walked back into the room.

"Pizza good?" Fang asked, crawling into bed. Tabitha laughed as he kissed her head.

"Yeah. Did you already order it?"

"Yep," he said, closing his eyes. Lucas, not liking all the people on the bed at once, started to whine. I gave him a kiss.

"Max?" Tyler walked in. "How do you spell chocolate cake?"

"Come here."

He got into bed, pushing Cody and Lucas away from me so that he could cuddle against me. "So how do you spell it?"

"I-T."

"Really?"

I sighed before telling him how to spell chocolate cake. Lucas licked Fang.

"Stop."

"Daddy!"

"Why do you like that? It's nasty."

Lucas just giggled.

* * *

"Did you bring me food?"

Damien sat a bag in front of her. "There."

"You aren't eating?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Damien-"

"Leave me alone, Cameron." He went upstairs. She sighed, eating alone. After she was done, she looked for Peter before giving up and going upstairs. Damien was in bed, the cat next to him. She got into bed, trying to pet Peter but he just moved closer to Damien.

"Peter-"

"He's tired," Damien told her. "So am I, so be quiet."

"Damien, grow up," she said. "Stop being so passive aggressive."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just say that you're mad and move on."

"Just move on? Huh? You tell me that you control what I can do to that baby because it's not physically mine and you expect me to just act like it's nothing?"

"You're not-"

"Cameron, I try. I try really hard but sometimes you are just…never mind."

She turned away from him. "Then leave."

"What?"

"Yeah. Just leave."

"I'm not leaving."

"Fine, you stupid jerk, don't leave."

He ran a hand down Peter's stomach. "Peter says he's sorry."

"Shut up, Damien."

"He wants his mommy to give him a kiss goodnight."

"You wanted to go to sleep, so do it."

"I can't. I have to tell the baby goodnight."

Cameron sighed. "Damien?"

"What?"

"Max said that I should buy you something."

"Why?"

"To make you happy."

He reached over and ran a hand down her back. "That's stupid."

Cameron finally faced him. "I know. Max is such a bitch sometimes."

"Don't say that word."

She sighed. "Damien."

"What?"

Peter moved closer to Cameron, purring when she began to rub his back. "Goodnight, Peter."

He meowed, closing his eyes. Damien leaned over and gave Cameron a kiss. "Night, Cammie."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Really?"

He sighed. "It is my baby too."

She looked away from him. "Whatever. Just go to bed."

"Now you're the one that's mad."

"No."

He laughed a little, laying on his stomach. "Goodnight, baby. I love you."

"…I love you too, Superman."

* * *

"What are you gonna be for Halloween?" Alex asked Tyler. They were in class and supposed to be doing their math work but Alex was good at addition. Who needs to know what two plus two was? She sure didn't.

"Spiderman." Duh. Alex was so stupid sometimes.

"Oh."

Tyler looked down at his work. Alex didn't do math because she sucked at it. He didn't do it because it was too easy. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"No. You have to guess."

"Um…You got me a gato?"

"No."

"A perro?"

"No."

"A-"

"I didn't get you anything, Alex."

"Oh."

He sighed. "I was gonna tell you that I got a new Spiderman toy."

That's all? "Oh."

"You say that a lot."

Alex nodded. "It's my favorite word."

"Hmmm…Mine is-"

"Hate?"

"No."

"Oh, it's no?"

"No. No, it is not no."

"So yes, it's not no?"

"Shut up, Alex."

"Meanie."

* * *

I was sleeping on Bone's couch because sleeping somewhere else is better than sleeping at home, when something was pressed against my face.

"Stop, Fang."

"Bubba, leave her alone," I heard Bone say. I opened my eyes a little. Bone was cleaning.

"What are you doing that for?" I asked. The dog had his nose pressed against my me, wanting to be petted. I rubbed behind Bubba's ears.

"Victoria's coming over."

"Do I have to leave?"

"No," Bone said. "Of course not."

"Good," I responded, closing my eyes again. "Remember the day we first met?"

"Somewhat, yeah."

"You said that you didn't like anime."

"I'm fine with it but I prefer comics."

"Victoria seems really into them."

He started picking up the dogs toys, making Nina come running. She probably thought it was the end of the world, Bone cleaning.

"She is."

"You guys were friends."

"We were."

"Did you ever…"

Bone stopped, looking at me. I knew this because I could feel his eyes. What? This conversation was not worth opening my eyes.

"Yes."

"You took her virginity, huh?"

"Max."

"What?"

"That's personal."

"Did you?"

"Yeah."

"She didn't take yours."

"Max, seriously?"

"What?" I opened my eyes now. "I'm your sister, remember?"

"I would have never told Carrie that."

"I'm more nosey."

"No kidding."

Lucas, who was on the floor playing, looked at Bone. "Hi."

"Hi what?"

He giggled. "Hi, Unal, Boon."

"Good boy," Bone said.

Every time Bone put a toy in the corner, Nina would run off with it. She wasn't accepting to the ideal of cleaning.

"Nin-nah," Lucas called. Fang thinks that I shouldn't let Lucas around Nina but she's just as docile as Tank, though I see his issues with it. As far as him not wanting Lucas around Bubba, that's just laughable.

Nina went over to Lucas and licked his face, something Lucas found equally enjoyable. He licked her back.

"Lucas, stop it. That's nasty."

He just giggled.

"You never answered," I told Bone.

"You didn't make it a question. You said it like it was a fact."

"Was it?"

"No, she wasn't my first."

I laid on my side. "Did you care about her?"

"Yes."

"Do you still?"

"Would I be cleaning if I didn't?"

* * *

James liked Cody. He was cool. He liked his daddy too.

"Play nice, alright?" Luther said, setting James down before going to sit at the counter next to Fang. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Where's Tabby?"

"School. Tammie let you take James?"

Luther frowned. "He's my son too."

"I know. She just acts like-"

"She's staying my fucking house, spending my fucking money, so I better be able to take my son when I want him."

"Alright, alright, I was just asking."

Luther sighed. "Where's Max?"

"Bone's," Fang said. "Have you talked to Damien recently?"

"No. He's still mad at me about not leaving his place."

"You should talk to him."

"Thanks, Dr. Phil."

"Shut up."

Luther laughed. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"It's Friday, right? Let's go see a movie."

"What movie?"

"Don't matter."

"Cool. You should call Bone and ask him to come. Max works tonight anyways."

"Alright," Luther said. "You should drive your own car though."

"Why?"

"I plan to find a woman tonight and I'm sure Bone does too."

"Whatever, Mr. Disgusting."

"It's life, Fang."

"Whatever."

* * *

I went home after Victoria showed up. Mostly because Lucas was getting cranky and I needed to pick up the kids. Seeing as Bone picked me up, he let me take his car. Unfortunately, it's impossible to sleep with all these kids in the house.

"Stop, Tyler!"

"No! Me and Alex want to play with it."

"Too bad!"

"Stop," I said, sitting up. "Really, just shut up. Tyler, if she had it first, give it back."

"Fine! You all hate me!" He ran up the stairs, Alex following. God, I can't wait until Saturday when they're over at the Mendoza's. Tabitha, happy about getting her way, played with the toy for like, two minutes, before deciding she didn't want it.

"Max?"

"What?"

"Are you ever going to get a real job?"

"What, Tabitha?"

She looked at me. "Yeah. Mr. Paul, Tommy's uncle, is a doctor. Um…Damien's a tattoo-er. You need a real job."

"Tabitha, knock it off."

"You should be a janitor."

Yep, that's exactly what I want to be. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"You clean up really well." Then she started laughing.

"What?"

"Luther told me that joke. It's funny, huh?"

"Do you even know what it means?"

"Nope."

Didn't think so.

* * *

"What do you want to do?"

Bone shrugged.

"You don't talk a lot."

Again, he just shrugged.

"You never have though."

Bone turned on the TV.

"Artemis?"

He looked at her.

"Since, like, I've gotten here we've been…dating, I think. Are we together? Or is this just a thing?"

He kept staring at her for a minute before speaking. "I like you."

"I know that."

"I cleaned for you."

"I can tell."

"…I haven't slept with you."

"I noticed."

"So," he deduced, "I guess we're together."

"Do you want to be?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I've never really had a girlfriend."

"I know."

Smiling, he turned his attention back to the TV. "When we were in high school, I wanted you to be my girlfriend back then too."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Why didn't you?"

"What?"

Bone looked at her again. "Didn't you want to be with me back then too? You never said anything."

"I asked you to have sex with me. I thought that was enough of a hint."

"You know I'm not that smart," he said. "Besides, I though you just wanted me to be your first because we were best friends and you loved me."

She laid her head against his shoulder. "I do love you."

Happy, he smiled. Then his phone rang.

"What?" He answered after seeing it wasn't Max.

"Dude, you have got to come hang out with me and Fang tonight."

"You two should be at work," Bone told Luther.

"Max will be."

"No," Bone said. "She shouldn't have to be there alone."

"Look, just come hang out with us. We're going to see a movie and me and you could probably score a few-"

"I have a girlfriend," he said, beginning to smile again. He had a girlfriend and a sister. For once, he was truly happy.

* * *

**October 31****st**

"Look out! It's Spiderman!"

"Stop it," I said, frowning at Tyler. "You need to go get ready for school."

"Max, just so you know, it's Halloween!"

"It's also a Wednesday. Go get ready."

"You're no fun."

"And you're cute."

"I hate you!" He yelled running back up the stairs. Lucas, who was standing next to me in the kitchen, giggled.

"Ty cute?" He looked up at me.

"Yep."

He patted my leg. "Mommy cute."

"Thank you."

"Me pup-kin," he told me.

"For Halloween, yes."

"Rawr! 'cary pup-kin."

"You are not a pumpkin," Fang said, walking into the room. "For the last time, you're going to be Hulk."

"No, he's not," I told my husband. "You want to be a pumpkin, huh Lucas?"

"Yes. 'cary pup-kin."

"No," Fang repeated. "You're Hulk. You love the Incredible Hulk."

"Yes! 'cary Hulk!"

"Pumpkin," I told him.

"Rawr! 'cary pup-kin."

"See?" I looked at Fang. "He wants to be a cute, little pumpkin."

"He wants to be something scary."

I sighed. "Fang, honestly, I don't care but Mom bought him this stupid pumpkin costume so that's what he's going to be."

"But Max-"

"No."

"Fine. Be a stupid pumpkin, Lucas."

"Ya! 'cary pup-kin!"

Fox strode into the room and went over to his water bowl. Lucas got distracted by the cat and went over there too.

"I still think he'd look better as Hulk," Fang complained. I kissed him.

"Too bad. Now make me something to eat."

"So demanding,' he said, kissing my neck.

"Hurry up. I'm going to take the kids to school."

"Did they eat?"

"Pop-tarts."

"Yum."

"I know. They're so lucky," I said. "Make me eggs. I'll be back."

"Bye-bye," Lucas called to me.

"Bye, baby," I said before going to the end of the stairs. "Tyler! Tabitha! Come on."

"I shouldn't have to go to school," Tyler complained, coming down the stairs.

"You're such a baby," Tabitha taunted, following down behind him. After taking them to school, I came back home to find my food waiting for me. Fang wasn't around though. I ate before going into our bedroom. Lucas and Cody were watching Dora.

"Hi, Mommy," Lucas greeted.

Fang was in the shower but left the bathroom door open so that he could see them.

"Hi," I said, going to give him a kiss.

"Hi!" Cody yelled, not one to be left out.

"Hi, Cody," I said, giving him a kiss on the head before getting into bed with them. Fang came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, a towel around his waist.

"No wonder this house was so cheap, with a horrible view like that."

"Shut up," he said, going to the closet. "You know that you can barely resist the urge to jump my bones right now."

"Actually, I find it very resistible."

Fang changed before coming to get into bed with us. "I've got work in a couple of minutes."

"Sucks for you."

He laughed. "I'll be off at around five."

"Then we can take them trick-or-treating."

"Fun."

"You know it is."

Fang stretched a little. "Isn't Tyler going with Alex?"

"Yeah. Victor is taking them."

"What about Tabby?"

"Tommy is coming down and Luther's taking them."

Fang frowned. "Then who do we have?"

"James, Cody, and Lucas."

"Me pup-kin, Daddy," Lucas told him. "'cary pup-kin."

"I know that, bubba."

Cody banged his hands on the bed. He was going to be a ghost and so was James. They would look so cute. I love having James around. He and Cody were basically the same size and could do the same things. I could dress them the same, treat them the same. They even acted the same.

"You need to pick up James from Damien's house," I told Fang.

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Max, I have to get to work."

"We're always late."

"Not that job."

"…Well maybe if you bought me another car-"

"Shut up," he said, getting out of bed. Then he left.

* * *

"Did you buy candy?"

"Yeah, Cammie."

"Good," she said, not looking up from her book. "Are you taking James to Max's?"

"She said she'd send Fang to pick him up."

"Hmmm."

Damien went back to his game. "What are we doing tonight?"

"You work?"

"No."

"Then you're passing out candy."

"Fun."

"Don't start with me."

"Cam!" James yelled from the ground. "Nah-ma!"

She sighed, setting her book down so that she could pick the fourteen month old up. "What?"

James smiled, cuddling against her. He loved his Cameron. She was the best. Next to Max, that is. He patted her cheek.

"Hi."

"He likes you," Damien said.

"I noticed."

"…So can I find out of the sex or what?"

She sighed. "Damien-"

"Come on, baby, please? I really want to know."

"I guess if you-"

"Thank you," he said.

"Yeah, whatever."

There was a knock at the door.

"Get the door, Damien."

He took James from her. "Probably Fang."

It was. Damien smiled at him. "H-"

"Can't talk. I'm late," Fang said, taking James.

"Bye, James," Damien said.

"Bi-bi," he called as Fang took him back out to the car. James got excited. He only saw this guy when he saw Max. Ya, Max!

* * *

"Tyler, I swear to God, if you put that sucker in her hair, I will beat you so bad you can't feel your bottom."

He frowned but didn't put it in Tabitha's hair. "You're mean, Max."

It was around eight now and we were all done with trick-or-treating. I had put Cody and James in Cody's crib already and was letting the other three stay up, just for a little bit longer.

"No, I'm not."

Lucas was rolling around on the ground. He had already eaten all the candy that I was going to let him eat for the night. Now hyper and bored, Lucas was pretending to be a real pumpkin.

"Me 'oll on g'ound, Daddy. 'ike a pup-kin!" He giggled. "Boo! 'cary pup-kin."

"Can he go to bed now?" Fang asked. Even Fang was tired of him.

"I guess so," I said. I was trying to watch TV but they just all refused to let me. Tyler climbed onto the couch next to me.

"You want some of my candy, Max?"

"I thought I was mean?"

"You are."

I sighed. "No, Tyler, that's okay. I'm just eating Lucas, Cody, and James's."

"Max!" He giggled. "That's bad."

"You're telling me."

* * *

**November**

"I don't get why-"

"Shut the hell up, Damien."

He sighed, staring straight ahead at the road. When they pulled up, Cameron slammed the car door before going to the house, only to slam the front door.

"Cameron, why are you upset?" He went into the house behind her. "You always wanted a daughter, remember?"

She took a deep breath before turning around to face him. "I wanted _my_ daughter. I wanted _your_ daughter. I didn't want that _thing's_ daughter."

He frowned. "Cameron-"

"It's not ours, Damien. I could have dealt with a damn boy but a fucking girl? He had to take my first daughter away from me too?"

"Cameron, why does it matter?" He asked. "It's still mine. It's still yours. And we already have the name! Samantha, remember?"

Her eyes clouded over even more. "That thing is not going to take that name."

"W-"

"God, I should have aborted it when I had the chance."

"Hey," he grabbed her arm. "Don't talk like that."

"Or what, Damien? You'll make me take care of a bastard? Too late. Give it a few more months and-"

"Cameron, if you don't want her so bad, then fine," he said. "I'll take her after you have her and you'll never have to see us again."

She pulled her arm from his grasp. "Good! Take it. Not like anyone else would ever give you a child. I always wondered why you never had another girlfriend but now I get it. You're just a worthless piece of shit."

"Don't curse like that."

"Stop me then, Damien. Come on."

He started back towards the door. "Fine, Cameron. Do what you want."

"Where the fuck are you going?"

"To my mom's-"

She laughed. "Figures. Have fun, worthless shit."

He slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Bone walked in with Victoria around noon. I was sleeping on the counter and for once, Luther was letting me. He was in a good mood, I think. Hell if I know why though.

"Hi," Bone said to me, pushing my head.

"Stop. Can't you see I'm sleeping?"

"Bye, Vickie," he said to Victoria. I heard him give her his car keys. "Love."

"I love you too."

"I was talking to Max, but okay," he said. I lifted my head up in time to see him give her a kiss before she left.

"Go do inventory," Luther told him. "Now. You're late."

Bone shrugged before walking away.

"She makes him happy," I said.

"Yeah."

I sighed. "I don't get it. Why does he like her?"

"Who?"

"Bone and Victoria."

"What do you mean? Why do you like Fang?"

I sighed. "Not like that. I just meant…he has all those hot girls hanging off him everyday and he chooses…her. I mean, I'm all for beauty on the inside and that shit but what guy follows that?"

"Fang, Damien-"

"What do you mean Fang?"

Luther sighed. "I'm not calling you ugly, Max, but he goes through a lot to be with you."

"Like what?"

"You know…he had to help your through drinking, he has to accept your mouth, he deals with Bone and his creepy obsession. And what about when those kids you guys grew up with hated you? He stuck with you through that."

I considered this. "What did you mean about Damien?"

"Come on, Max. Sure, the easy answer would be that he's raising someone else's kid but even before that he had to suck up a lot."

"Like what?"

"Cameron is a bitch. Just admit it. I feel bad for what happened to her and I care about her to the point that I would want anything to happen to her, but she's fucking annoying as hell," he said. "She whines, she can't stand not getting her way, she's as jealous as…I don't even have something to compare her to, she's that bad. But he doesn't care."

"You guys aren't the only ones that have to put up with shit."

"I know that, Max. Bone's freaky, Fang's an ass, Damien's needy, and me…you know me. I'm horrible. I'm just trying to make you get that sometimes that stuff doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," I said. "If I wasn't hot, would Fang put up with me?"

He looked up at the ceiling. "Max, I can't speak for Fang, but I can for myself. Look at Tammie. She wasn't always like that. After the baby…wasn't there, she couldn't take it. Sure, I cheated on her but I still love her. I'd die right now for her. Let's be honest, she's not the most beautiful girl in the world, but I don't care."

"You won't give up other women for her," I pointed out.

"No," he admitted. "But Bone's not me. He might be able to do that for Victoria. I don't know."

I sighed. "Still, I just don't get it."

He shrugged. "If Fang gained weight, would you still love him?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good, because he's not exactly muscular anymore."

I frowned. Why does everyone say that?

* * *

"Hi, baby," Trinity said, opening the door. "Why-"

"Cameron's mad at me," Damien said.

She sighed. "You want me to make you something to eat?"

He nodded his head. "Please."

"Alright," she said, moving back so that he could come in. "Dan, Damien's here."

His father's eyes stared hard at him as he went to sit on the couch. "What?"

"Cameron's mad at me."

"Shouldn't be living with a woman that you're not married to, anyhow."

"Be nice," Trinity said, going into the kitchen. "What do you want, baby?"

"Anything."

"I'll make you an omelet."

"Thank you."

Dan turned up O'Reilly Factor.

"Are you watching that crap again?" His wife yelled from the kitchen. "You know that man's a liar."

Dan snorted but said nothing.

"Can't we watch something else?" Damien asked.

"Tell you like I did when you were a kid. You don't like my show, buy your own TV."

"Still. Mom's right. Fox is-"

"Don't you come into my house thinking that you're better than me now. You're still my son and I'll still beat you with my belt if I have to."

Damien shut up. At a commercial, Dan spoke again.

"What's that girl mad about now?"

"We're having a girl."

"So?"

He glanced at his father. "She doesn't want a girl."

"Like she gets a choice."

"Yeah but she's upset because it's not ours, it's-"

"Then she should give it up. That kid don't need her attitude it's whole life."

"She wants it," Damien defended. "She just doesn't realize it right now."

Dan looked at her. "You two married yet?"

"No."

"Then get that way."

"Dad-"

"Shut up, my shows back on."

* * *

Fang and I had just finished…our night when one of the kids banged on our door.

"What?" Fang yelled.

"I had a bad dream."

"Go back to bed, Tyler."

"But I'm scared."

I mouthed fuck to Fang before getting up. I grabbed my clothes and went into the bathroom. After presumably dressing, Fang opened the bedroom door.

"Come on," he said to Tyler. "Let's go get back your bed."

"No! There're monsters in there."

"Tyler-"

"Where's Max?" He gasped. "Did they get her?"

"I'm right here," I said, coming out of the bathroom, now dressed. "Come on, Tyler. "Let's go sleep in the living room, okay?"

I pushed Fang away before taking Tyler's hand and taking him into the living room. I laid down on the couch, laying him on top of me. Man did he get heavy.

"Max?"

"Shhh," I said, holding him to him. "Let's go to sleep. Tomorrow's Friday."

"Ya! Alex."

"Yeah," I said, running a hand down his head.

"But Max, I'm scared."

"Don't be," I told him. "Monsters can't hurt you."

"I know," he said, his voice changing. "I'm worried about you."

I laughed. "Well, don't be."

"I have to be. I can't protect you, Snickers, and myself."

"Tyler, I can protect myself."

He laughed at me. "Silly, Mama, no you can't."

"Yes I can," I told him. "I'm the Maximum Ride, Tyler."

"No. You last name is not Ride."

"It was."

"Lying is a sin, Max," he told me. "But that's okay. I do it all the time."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You do?"

Tyler nodded. "'member yesterday when you blamed Lucas for breaking that toy?'

"Yes."

"He didn't. It was me."

"Tyler!"

He closed his eyes. "Tyler's sleeping. Z-Z-Z-Z."

"Why are you saying Z?"

"That's what you say when you're sleeping," he said. "Which, by the way, I am. Z, Max. Z."

"I'll Z you if you don't go to sleep."

He just giggled.

* * *

Damien got home late. He stayed at his parents for a long time. When he did get home, the house was dark. Sighing, he went inside before going upstairs. Going into the bedroom, he noticed that Peter was in Cameron's spot, her in his. She had his pillow laying alongside her body, cuddling against it. This is what she did when he worked late so that he would have to wake her up when he got home.

"Cammie," he whispered. "Baby, you have both of the pillows."

"You don't get one," she mumbled, not opening her eyes. He sighed.

"Well, you're on my side of the bed," he added.

"You don't get to sleep in the bed either."

"Cameron."

"Move the cat, then."

"Peter's comfortable."

She sighed. "Just...Damien, God."

"I can sleep on the couch, I guess."

She moved the pillow closer to Peter before moving over enough so that he could crawl in. He was too close for her comfort but she didn't want Peter to have to get up for him.

Damien laid a hand over her slightly larger stomach, having to cuddle against her so he didn't fall off.

"Night, Cameron."

"Shut up."

He kissed the back of her head. "Are we still fighting?"

"Yes, Damien."

"Oh…I love you."

"Stop, alright?"

"What? I do. Sam loves you too."

"Do not call-"

"That's her name."

"Not, it's not."

"That's what I'm calling her," he said, closing her eyes. "Night."

"God, I hate you."

"I love you too."

"Seriously, stop it."

He didn't say anything to her. Cameron sighed, looking down at his arm.

"We're going to North Carolina for Thanksgiving."

"Cameron-"

"No, shut up. We are, get over it."

"Fine. I want Christmas here, still."

"Whatever."


	8. Chapter 8

Living

Chapter 8

Tyler groaned, making me look at him.

"What's wrong?"

"School's hard," he complained, throwing down his pencil.

"Yeah? So is my hand and Dad's belt so finish your homework."

"Max-"

"No. Besides, today is Thursday."

"So?"

"Tomorrow's your last day before your break and then you have a whole week off. Do this and you'll be done until after Thanksgiving."

"But it's math."

"You're good at math."

"I know but I hate it."

"You hate reading too."

"I know, I hate it all."

"Just do it."

He frowned at me before going back to his work. Fang came down the stairs and went over to me.

"I need to see you, in the bedroom."

"Not now. I'm tired."

"No, Max, I want to talk about something."

"Fine," I said, getting up. Cody was in his playpen with James and Lucas was napping so I was okay with leaving the room. When Fang and I got to the bedroom, he spoke.

"I want to quit."

"Trying?"

"What? No," he said, frowning. "Do you?"

Kind of... "No."

"Okay, good." He calmed again. "I meant my job."

"Ugh, Luther getting on your nerves again?"

"No. I meant my other job."

I frowned. "Why?"

"We don't need it anymore, do we?"

"Yes!"

"Max-"

"Fang, I don't know."

He kissed my head. "Well, I wish I had told you before."

"Why?"

"I thought that you'd support me so I already quit."

"Fang!"

"Calm down."

"No."

He pulled me to him, giving me a hug. "I love you, Max."

"Shut up."

* * *

"So what are we doing with Peter?"

"Didn't we give him to my mom last year?"

Cameron nodded. "Yeah. Can you ask her again?"

"Max already said that she would."

"Yeah but I'm going to tell her no."

"Why?"

"Those other cats are mean to him and he doesn't like being around that many kids."

Damien shook his head. "Fine. I'll ask."

"Thank you," Cameron said from the bed. Damien was cleaning the bedroom up.

""What do you want to do for dinner?"

"I don't know," Cameron said, looking at the TV. "You need to clean the guest bathroom."

It was her freaking nephew that used it... "I will."

"…Do you want to come get in bed?"

"You're making me clean."

"I know but I'm cold."

He sighed, getting into bed with her. Peter moved away from him, cuddling against Cameron.

"Why does my cat like you more?"

"Because I'm a better person."

"That's debatable."

Cameron ran a hand down the cat's back. "I feel fat, Damien."

'You're not."

Peter got up and stretched before jumping off the bed. Damien took the opportunity to move closer to him.

"I feel that way, though."

He pulled Cameron to him. "Are you listening? You're not, Cameron."

"Yes I am."

He tucked her head under his chin, shocked that she was actually allowing him to hold her. Wow. She even started cuddling against him. It was different, now that her stomach was bigger but it felt great. Damien kissed her head, running a hand down her back.

"No, Cameron," he repeated. "You're annoying when you say things like that."

"You're always annoying."

He never stopped stroking her back. "I love you."

She closed her eyes. "After it's born-"

"She's born-"

"-I want to get another job."

"Fine, whatever."

"I'm so tired of whatever."

"You say it all the time."

"Yeah, I know. I meant I'm tired of listening to you say it."

"You complain a lot," he said. "But I love it."

"No you don't."

* * *

"Max?"

"What?"

Tabitha crawled into bed with me and Tyler. "What's gen-o-side?"

"What?"

She nodded. "I was watchin' TV with Daddy and it was talking about gen-o-side and Jews."

Tyler giggled. "I like that word. Max, can I be Jew?"

"Tyler," I sighed. Gen-o-side…Genocide must be what she meant. "Tabitha it's nothing."

"Yeah but they all died. Are there anymore Jews?"

"Yes," Tyler said. "Me!"

"Tyler, you're not Jewish."

"Prove it."

"Fang!" I should not have to deal with this.

"What?" He came into the room.

"You let Tabitha watch TV with you."

"And?"

"Now she wants to know about genocide."

Fang frowned. "So?"

"Fang, she's six."

He sighed, getting into bed too. "What did you see, Tabitha?"

"That they were killing them and they were saying that it's happening in Africa." She looked at me. "Does that mean that Tammie's going to die?"

"What?"

"She's black." Tabitha gasped. "I've gotta call Nudge and warn her."

"No," I said, rolling my eyes. "To begin with, all blacks aren't from Africa. Just like all Mexicans aren't from Mexico and all-"

"But why are they called African-Americans?"

"Because their ancestors are from Africa," Fang said.

"Where are my ancestors from?" Tyler asked. "Jewnopia?"

"You are not Jewish, Tyler."

"I could be!"

"They're from Europe," Fang said.

Tabitha frowned. "How come we're not 'Ro-peeing-American?"

"Because-"

I cut Fang off. "Stupid white men are too full of them-"

"Max, don't start."

"What?"

"Ever since you found out you were part Mexican when we were fourteen, you act like you've been suppressed your whole life. No one even knows your not full white."

I snorted at him. "Typical white man answer. You don't like to hear your faults."

"I'm not white," Tyler told me. "I'm not typical either."

"No kidding."

He ignored this. "I'm a Jew and Mexican. Jexican."

"No."

"You're not fun, Max," he said, standing up. We had been watching Pokemon but he didn't like being in a room with all of us. "I can be whatever I want to be, 'member?"

"As a job, yes."

He walked out of the room. "I'mma talk to Alex tomorrow and we're going to figure out how to become a Jew. You'll see, Max. You'll all see!"

With that, Tyler was gone.

"So what's gen-o-side?" Tabitha asked, not concerned with Tyler and his race confusion.

"It's when…you kill someone to get rid of their race," I finally said.

"Why?"

"Because sometimes, people get stuck up on that. Mainly white people."

"Max-"

"It was a joke."

"Liar."

Tabitha cuddled against Fang. "If Tyler gets to change, can I be Indian?"

"No. Tyler doesn't get to change."

"He said that he can."

"He also thinks that he can clone Snickers, Tabitha."

She considered this. "So I'm stuck white?"

Fang groaned. "You're making them think that being white is bad."

"It is," I said, getting up.

"Max, tell her that you are kidding. Now."

I sighed. "I'm joking, Tabitha. You know that, right?"

"…I guess."

"See?" I started for the door. "Is Lucas still in his bed?"

"Sleeping? Yes."

"I'm going to-"

"Let him sleep?"

"No."

"Max-"

"Chill, Fang. God, you're annoying."

"Yeah, I'm the annoying one," he said. "Now what are you doing with Lucas?"

"I want him to sleep in bed with us."

Fang glanced at Tabitha before back at me. "Max, I thought that we would…talk about doing the laundry."

"We talked about it on Tuesday," I said.

"Yeah but…My shirt has a stain."

"Ew, Fang."

Tabitha giggled. "You guys talk about stupid things. You're boring. Me and Tommy don't talk about laundry."

"You better not," Fang mumbled, pulling her to him.

"We can talk about it tomorrow," I said.

"Tomorrow, Luther has me working late."

I sighed. "Then get the stain out yourself, Fang."

"Max, that's nasty."

Opening the bedroom door, I said, "Have the shirt waiting for me at like ten tomorrow, alright?"

"That early?"

I glanced behind me, smiling a little. "It's just a little stain."

"It's a huge one!"

* * *

"Bone?"

He turned to look at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Food."

"For me?"

He nodded, continuing to make them dinner. "Invite."

"Who?"

He shook his head. "You."

"You invited me over to make me dinner?"

Smiling, he nodded. Victoria watched him for a second before going to sit on the couch. "What is it?"

"See."

"Art, I hate surprises."

"Don't."

"Yes, I do."

He just kept stirring something in a pot. "Love."

"I love you too," she said, turning on the TV. "Work was good for me."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Was it for you?"

"Yes."

"Good," Victoria said, laying down. "Was that woman there? What's her name?"

He got mad. "Her name is Max, Victoria."

"Sorry."

He didn't say it was okay because it wasn't. Max was his life. Sure, he'd given some of his time away to Vickie but Max was still his number one.

"Artie, are you mad?"

He shrugged. She wasn't looking at him though.

"Artemis-"

"Bone. I go by Bone now."

"You said that it didn't matter to you what I called you."

"Yeah, well now I do."

She sat up. "Why are you yelling at me?"

"I'm not."

"Bone-"

"I'm not, alright?"

She paused. "Do you want me to go or-"

"No," he said. "I made you this food and you're going to eat it."

"Whatever."

He went and got bowls, putting some chili in each before going to give her hers. "There."

Sitting up, she said, "Thanks."

He sat next to her. "Stay?"

"What?"

"Are you staying tonight?"

"I never have before."

He glanced at her. "Wanna have sex?"

"What?"

"No?"

"Artemis, we haven't-"

"Yes. A long time ago but we have."

She looked back down at her chili. "Do you want to?"

"Yes."

"I guess…"

"Good," he said, getting up. He poured his remaining chili in the trash. "Hurry and eat."

"Wait, you meant now?"

Bone nodded, going into the bedroom. When he came back, he was carrying a blanket and a pillow.

"What are you doing?"

"We can't in there. Carrie and Carol would be looking at us through the pictures."

"So?"

"The couch is fine."

"Your couch smells like crap and pizza."

He just smiled. Did she not realize how long it took him to make it smell like something besides just crap? "Are you done eating?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Setting the blanket and pillow down on the floor, Bone took her bowl and went to put it in the sink. "Nina! Come on."

He pulled her into his bedroom, making her lay down on the bed next to Bubba. He closed the bedroom door before going back to Victoria.

"Ready?"

"Yeah…"

He ignored her hesitation. Sex was sex and he had been cheated out of it for the past months since he had gotten with Vickie. Yep, he hadn't pulled a Luther. He hadn't slept with other women. He loved his girlfriend. And he'd prove it tonight.

* * *

It was like one in the morning and I couldn't sleep. Fang was mad about something. Apparently, the stain was code for his dick and I called it small. I didn't even realize I was, hehe. So anyways, I went to visit Bone. He's always up now that he's not having sex.

I went up to his apartment and was about to knock when I realized it was late. I didn't want to wake him up, just wanted to sleep on his couch. I tried the door and found it unlocked. As I closed the door, I heard something move. Hurriedly, I turned on the lights, feeling stupid. It was probably just Bubba or Nina but don't they sleep in bed with him?

"Oh God!"

Bone yawned, opening his eyes. Victoria noticed me and pulled a blanket up closer around them.

"Hey, Max," Bone said, smiling.

"Bone!"

"What are you doing here?" Victoria asked, holding tight to the blanket. Like I'd want to see _her_ naked. Wait, was that mean? It's not just that she's fat. I mean, I wouldn't want to see Cameron either…

"Fang and I, uh, got in a fight and I was going to sleep on your couch, Bone."

He ran a hand down Victoria's head, making her lay it against his chest. I think they had been sleeping. Bone was on his back, his girlfriend laying on his chest, looking none to happy at the moment.

"Sorry, but we have the couch. You can sleep in the bedroom with the dogs or the guest room," Bone said, in his normal tone. He wasn't freaked in the slightest. "There's chili in the kitchen."

"You're disgusting," I said.

Bone shook his head. "It's really good."

"Fuck you," I told him before turning to walk out of the apartment. Bone didn't like for me to leave angry but he was naked and there was no way he would follow me.

I was wrong.

"Max!"

I was to my car by this time and he came running, a pair of boxers on. I sighed, not starting the engine.

"What?" I asked, leaving the door open.

"Mad."

"I'm not."

"Yes. Why?"

I couldn't even answer that for myself. I didn't want to be romantically involved with Bone, not at all. It was just… "Why her, Bone? What's so special about her?"

He blinked. "I love her."

"How? You could have anyone and you choose…that."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's fat, Bone."

He sighed. "What is your issue with that?"

"You're the one that has an issue with it. Remember Carlos-"

"Yes, I don't like fat people who think that they're some gift from God but I don't like skinny people like that either," he said. "I love Victoria because she's not full of herself, she knows that she's not pretty or beautiful to most and she doesn't care. She knows that people like you and Luther and Fang and even me look down at her but she still her. She doesn't try to appeal to us, like Tammie. She just goes along like everyone else, because she is like everyone else."

"Big speech for you."

He opened the car door more so that he could kiss my head. "Do you really want to stay with me tonight?"

"No. I'll go home, I guess."

"Good," he said, sighing. "Love."

"I love you too."

* * *

Cameron pushed him awake. "Damien."

"Hmmm?"

"Get up."

"What time is it?" He mumbled.

"Around five."

"Cameron, I don't need to get up till seven."

She rolled her eyes. "I know that. I want to talk."

"About?"

"I don't know…"

He reached out and pulled her to him. "Then sleep until you do."

"Damien-"

"Cameron, come on."

She huffed. "Fine, sleep, you big jerk."

"Thank you."

Laying there for another minute, Cameron figured out what she'd bother him about. "Where's Peter?"

"Don't know."

"Go get him."

"Cameron, you've slept this long without him."

"So?" She looked up at him. "I get scared without him."

"I think he's in the sink in the bathroom."

"Go get him."

Groaning, Damien went into the bathroom. There his cat was, waiting like; eyes wide open, just watching. Damien picked him up and carried him to bed.

"There," he said, laying the cat and himself down. Cameron showered Peter with kisses. Did Damien get any? Nada one. Sighing, Damien pulled the covers up around them. "I was looking at cribs yester-"

"I told you. Buying things for it…her is up to you."

"I know," he said. "I was just telling you."

"Thank you," Cameron said, feeling weird. She wanted to get mad at him but he had gotten up and got Peter for her.

Smiling, Damien ran a hand down her face, amazed that she didn't flinch. "I love you, Cameron."

"I love you too, Superman."

Still smiling, he added, "I love you, Samantha."

That's where he lost her. Cameron put her back to him. "Go to sleep, Damien."

"Cameron-"

"No."

Peter meowed before trying to get out of the bed but Damien held onto him. No way was he going to get the cat again.

"Peter says goodnight, Cameron."

"Shut up."

"He wants his mommy to cuddle with him."

"He wants to be in the sink so let him."

"No."

"He's trying to get away from you."

"Fine," Damien said, letting the cat go. He ran out off the bed and back into the bathroom. "At least he's running for once, huh?"

"Are you calling my baby fat?"

"No."

"Whatever, Damien."

* * *

"Hey," I mumbled, making him laugh. Iggy hugged me hard.

"This long and all I get is a 'hey'?"

"Yeah. What more do you want? You are blind, after all. I could just have someone that sounds like me talk to you while you're away and you wouldn't know the difference."

"Of course I would," Iggy said, sounding offended. "No one can sound so bitchy except for you."

I pulled away from him just to punch him in the arm. "You better be nice to me, Iggy. I can make you stay with Mom."

'Alright, alright," he laughed, rubbing his arm. "Where's my nephews and niece?"

"Lucas is at work with Fang, Tabitha's with Tommy, Tyler with Alex, and Cody is at Luther's."

"Why?"

"He's playing with Luther's son, James."

"Oh."

"Sorry, Ig, but I couldn't get any of them to change their plans. Tyler said that he was expecting something good to eat when he got home for him and Alex though."

It was a few days later and Iggy was finally in town for Thanksgiving. It felt like forever and a day since I saw him. Forever and a day? God, I am old.

"Great. He just loves me for food."

"That's why we all love you."

He pushed past me. "So where am I stay?"

"Upstairs."

"Fun."

I took his hand, leading him towards the stairs. "Be careful, Ig. I don't want you falling."

"You worry too much."

"You make me that way."

"I doubt it."

I led him to the bedroom closest to the bathroom. "Alright, Ig. You want me to help you around the room?"

"I'm a big boy, Max. I can look around for myself." He walked into the room. "Don't worry about my bags. I'll get them later. I don't want you to have to deal with them."

"Trust me, I wasn't."

With that, I went to go do clothes. Ha, got you, huh? No, I went to take a nap. Man, I'm freaking hilarious.

* * *

"Hey," Damien said, going to kiss Cameron. She actually leaned up and kissed him back.

"How was work?" Cameron asked.

"Good," he said, sitting down next to her.

"Tommy and Tabitha are here."

"Great."

"Damien-"

"I was kidding," he said.

"Right, whatever," she said, leaning against him. Damien smiled.

"We leave tomorrow," he said.

"I know," Cameron said. "What did your mother say about watching Peter?"

"She said yes."

"Good."

"Cameron, I still don't know about the trip."

She glanced up at him. "You're such a baby but, seeing as I'm being nice today, go ahead and tell me why you think that."

"Well, you're eight months pregnant-"

"Damien, we already talked to the doctor. He said fine," Cameron reminded.

"No. He said that he didn't think you should but then you got mad and started a fight with him and he finally said it was your body, he couldn't stop you, but that you were the most intolerable person he knew."

"That reminds me, I want a new doctor."

"Cammie."

She giggled, leaning up to kiss him. "Its fine, Damien. Really. My mother flew right up until the day before I was born. She had to hurry to fly back from Spain because she didn't want me born there."

Damien sighed. "I guess."

Cameron settled back against him. "Trent's going to bring Tommy down there."

"What about Mary?"

"They're fighting."

"Why?"

"He's still cheating."

"I don't get it," Damien said.

"Get what?"

"Why he would want to cheat on her but still stay with her."

"Because he loves her."

"No," Damien said. "If he loved her, he would only ever want to be with her."

"That's your thinking, not Trent's. He grew up different."

"You grew up the same as him."

"No," Cameron said. "I didn't. Trent got everything he ever wanted. I didn't."

"Oh, whatever," Damien said before thinking. "You grew up just like him, rich and-"

"No, Damien, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"My mother hated me, Damien. Why would she ever give me something I wanted? When my father bought me something, she'd take it away, say that my grades were good enough to have a new CD or that I had been talking back to much," she said. "Every time my step father tried to give me something, she took that too and then they'd fight. They wouldn't sleep in the same room if they fought. I'm the reason that they'd go without talking, Damien. So don't act like you had it so hard, alright?"

He didn't get a chance to say anything because Tabitha and Tommy came running down the stairs.

"Aunt Cameron, we're hungry," Tommy said, running over to them.

"Damien, go make them something."

He sighed, going to do as she said.

* * *

"Hi," Tyler said to Iggy, walking into the kitchen. "Where's me and Alex's food?"

"Tyler, I told you, he wasn't going to make you something."

He stomped his foot before running back out of the kitchen and up the stairs, his girlfriend following. Fang sighed, going over to us.

"Can you say hi, Lucas?" I asked, taking the almost three year old from Fang.

"Yeah, hi," Lucas said, looking at Iggy. "Miss me?"

"Yeah," Iggy told him, taking the toddler. Lucas licked him. "Uh-"

"Lucas, stop that."

"Did he just lick me?" Iggy asked.

"Yep."

Iggy laughed, walking away, having to hold one hand out in front of him so that he didn't run into a wall.

"You no see," Lucas said as Iggy carried him away.

"Yeah," Iggy said.

"Me help," Lucas decided. "There's the TV, there's the couch, there's…"

His voice trailed off as Iggy carried him away.

Fang pulled me to him. "I need to go pick up Tommy, Tabitha, and Cody."

"Then go do it."

He kissed my forehead. "Have you heard from Angel and Gazzy?"

"Angel says that she still doesn't want to be here. Whatever, I don't need her anyways. Didn't affect me when she was eleven, doesn't affect me when she's fifteen. Or is she sixteen?"

Fang rolled his eyes, kissing my head. "I love you, Max."

"Yeah, you too."

"And Gazzy's coming, right? And Nudge and Amber. Can't forget whatever Nudge's boyfriends name is. And Ella and whoever she's blowing this week. See? Lots of fun."

I elbowed him. "Shut up. Ella does not-"

"Oh, whatever. When I was seventeen and staying with your Mom, she offered to blow me."

"What?"

Fang froze. "You never knew-"

"No."

"Oops."

"Fang-"

"We never-"

"But she wanted to?"

"Max, that was a long time-"

"Forget it, Fang." I said, pushing him away from me. "Go get the kids."

He kissed my head before leaving. Ella thought Cameron was hell, she'll have the surprise of her life when she sees me again.


	9. Chapter 9

Living

Chapter 9

"Glad I brought a jacket this time," Damien said as they walked up to the house.

"You brought it last time. You were just being a baby."

"You know, you sure seem to call me baby a lot know, but not in a good way."

"You know, Damien, you're so observant and smart and went to college. How is it that you're just a tattoo artist?"

'Hey, that tattoo artist sure pays your bills so shut your mouth."

"Excuse me?"

Damien ignored her as her brother opened the door. Paul hugged Cameron.

"How are you?" He asked.

"Pregnant."

Paul rolled his eyes before letting her go. Jeffery, the butler, pushed past them to put the bags away. "The upstairs bedroom, sir?"

"Yeah," Paul said as Damien walked in, closing the door behind him. After hugging her nephew Derek, Cameron asked when Trent was supposed to come.

"I don't know," Paul said. "He didn't tell me other than to say that he was bringing Tommy."

Cameron shook her head before grabbing Damien's hand and leading him upstairs to the room they would be using.

"What?" Damien asked as he closed the door.

"Nothing. I just thought you were mad and wanted to finish our fight."

He frowned. "We were fighting?"

"About your job."

"That wasn't a fight," Damien said, sitting down on the bed. "It was you being mean even though you know that I make good money for what I do. I mean, sure, I'm no Brandon Bond but I think I do pretty well."

"I never said you didn't. I like your art."

"Then why-"

"It's just…my brother's don't really like what you do."

"And?" Damien laid down. "Your brothers hate me no matter what I do."

Cameron laid next to him. "They do not."

"Yes they do."

Yawning, she closed her eyes. "I'm tired."

"Yeah. Flying must take a lot out of you."

"Damien, I swear to-"

"Don't. That's not good."

"Damien."

"What?" He ran a hand down her evidently pregnant stomach. "How do you feel today?"

"I don't know. What time is it?"

"One fifteen."

"Then good, I guess."

Damien gave her a weird look. "What does that mean?"

"My stomach always feels this way around one so it's okay."

He rubbed her stomach for a minute before kissing it. "We're so close now, Cameron."

"Yeah," she mumbled, not nearly as excited.

Laughing, he kissed her stomach again.

* * *

It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I was stuck at Mom's while waiting for Ella. God...

"Me like me shoes, Mommy."

"What, Lucas?"

He held them up. "See?"

"Fang!"

He walking into the living room. "What?"

"Look what he did to his shoes."

Fang held down a laugh. "Lucas, that's bad."

"Color dem green!" He giggled. "Love green!"

"Who gave you markers?" Fang asked.

"Ig-gay!"

"Iggy. There is no gay in my name," Iggy said, coming into the room.

"Why would you give my two year old markers?" I asked, sitting up.

"Green, Mommy," Lucas said, crawling up onto the couch with me. "Me 'ike green!"

I groaned. "Fang, deal with this."

Sighing, Fang got onto his knees in front of the couch. Lucas patted his head. "'Ike me shoes?"

"Lucas, I know that you like them and I think that they're cute, but you can't do that to your shoes. We bought those shoes with money. You can't mess them up."

Lucas frowned. "Daddy no 'ike green?"

"I love green."

"Daddy no 'ike me shoes?"

Fang pulled him into a hug. "Of course I do, baby. I love them."

"Fang-"

"Max, he made a mistake. He's sorry," Fang told me, standing, taking Lucas and his once white, now green shoes with him. He was almost in the kitchen when the door opened. It was Ella. Lucas, excited about a new person, started bouncing in Fang's arms.

"Ella!" He clapped his hands. I got off the couch as she tried to take him from Fang.

"So that's not the only man in my life you try to take. Good to know."

My oh so lovely half sister didn't have to reply as Nudge took her attention.

"Hey, El," Nudge said, going over to her. "Can you say hi, Amber?"

"No," she said, turning her head into her mother's shoulder. Amber wasn't a social baby. She seemed to have forgotten all of us while she was living in California and had no intentions of remembering us. All of us except for Cody of course.

"Hi!" Cody yelled from the ground. Not at Ella though. At his new best friend, Amber. She removed her head from Nudge's shoulder to look down at him.

"Un!" She wiggled in Nudge's arms until she sat her on the ground. Cody patted Amber's head before crawling away to his blanket so he could nap, knowing that she would follow.

Ella looked at me, about to say something when Mom came in, making another distraction. Whatever. I'll take the bitch out later.

"Was your trip good?" Mom asked her. "Driving all the way down here alone must be hard."

"Yeah, hard," I echoed. "Hey, El, did you blow something hard recently? I heard that you liked that a lot."

"Like a blow pop?" Tyler asked, walking into the room. "Am I getting candy? Ella, you shouldn't have."

"Tyler, shut up," Fang said before looking at me. "Max-"

"What are you even mad about?" Ella asked, looking hard at me. If this was any other time, I would laugh at how many times the word hard has come up. But this isn't any other time. This is kick Ella's ass time.

"Maybe the fact you never mentioned to tell me you tried to suck Fang's-"

"Max!"

I won't even attribute that because multiple people yelled my name before I could finish. I just crossed my arms. I was not backing down.

"Max, what are you even-"

"Oh, don't play like you don't remember," I said. "Or wait, maybe you do. I mean all the dicks you've-"

"Max," Fang grabbed my arm, pulling me back, further way from Ella. "Stop it. Now."

"What's a dick?" Alex asked. "Is it like a duck?"

Tyler fell over with giggles.

"No," I said, shrugging him off. "Come on, Ella. You want Fang? Wouldn't shock me. You always go after what I've had. What? You can't get a guy unless I've screwed them?"

"Maybe they just know when an upgrade is available."

"Explains why none of them ever go with you, huh?"

"Who says Fang didn't?"

I lunged at her and Drake of all people held me back. None too lightly, either. He wasn't stocky but I knew he was muscular. He ran track and cross country in high school or at least I think that's what Nudge said once.

"You need to calm the fuck down, girl," he said, pulling me back. I could have easily gotten away from him but I didn't.

"Ella, kitchen," Mom said, walking away. "Now!"

"I still don't get what a dick is," Alex complained.

"I'll show you-"

"Tyler, you stop it, now," Nudge told him. Drake let me go, only for Fang to hand Lucas to him and drag me out the front door.

"Max, what the hell was that?"

"What do you think it was?" I crossed my arms. "And thanks for just letting Drake grab me like that."

"You're lucky I didn't grab you because I wouldn't have been so nice about it," he said, glaring at me. "What are you going to tell Alex's parents?"

I frowned. "Why do they need to know that I have a sluty sister?"

"I meant about the dick thing."

Sighing, I pushed past him, going back inside. "We're leaving, kids."

"Why?" Tabitha whined. Tyler frowned.

"I haven't had my cake yet," he told me. "Or my candy. Where's my blow pop? Ella!"

Fang picked up Cody, making Amber scream at him.

"No," Cody complained. "Am!"

Drake picked up Amber. "Don't forget your shoes, Lucas."

Lucas picked them up and took them to Iggy. "Help."

"No, not now," Iggy said, picking him up. "You don't need them. We're just going to the car."

"Do dicks quack?"

"Alex, sweetie, stop, alright?" I looked down at her. "If you say that word again…you can't come to Thanksgiving over here."

Yes, Tyler and her had decided that this year it would be our job to watch them over the holiday. Joy.

She giggled, picking up Bear and Wa-wa. "Okay. Come on, Tyler."

He frowned, following her out of the house, complaining about his lack of candy.

* * *

"So, did Damien put up the crib yet?" Lacey, Paul's wife, asked Cameron.

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Yes. God, he is the most annoying man in the world."

"I doubt it."

"He is," Cameron said as they made a pie for Thanksgiving. "All he ever wants to talk about is the freaking baby."

"He's excited."

"He's annoying."

"He's in love with you, Cameron," Lacey said. "Be glad."

"I am, I guess," she said. "It's just that I can't deal with him sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

"He's always asking me if I'm okay, always opening my door for me or pulling out my chair," she complained, knowing that he complaints sounded stupid. "If I need something, he'll do it without even being told twice."

Lacey glanced at the younger woman. "I don't know what you're complaining about exactly. I couldn't get Paul to do any of that if I threatened suicide."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "I know but I just get…pissed sometimes. He's always bothering me."

"Again, he loves you."

"Again, I know."

Lacey sighed. "I don't get it, Cameron."

"I don't either."

* * *

"You don't get it, Fang! She's my fucking sister."

"Max, that was a long time ago. You had been gone for-"

"So what? If I died right now, could she try to marry you after a year? No? Then she shouldn't try to blow you."

I was in front of the dresser, taking off my ear rings. As I sat the last one down, Fang came up behind me, wrapping his arm around my neck, pulling me to him. He was choking me slightly.

"Max, you are missing the point," he said, his voice dark, angry. "What do you care what she wanted to do with me? For a long time, Cameron wanted to marry me. You're friends with her."

I struggled a little but that only hurt my throat worse. "That's different. Now that me and Cameron are friends, she would never try to do that. Ella is my sister. She should have never-"

"Max, you were gone. What part of that aren't you getting?"

"Yeah, I was gone raising your son-"

"We didn't know that," he said, tightening his grip. Now it was way too tight. I still made no notions of letting him know that.

I said nothing, mainly because he was freaking _chocking_ _me_. Fang kissed my head.

"I love you, Max. Who cares what Ella wants? You know that I don't like her, not even as a friend," he said. I made a chocking noise. "Cut it out. I'm not trying to be mushy, I'm just-"

"N-No. Fang." I tried to pry my arm off my neck. Fang, finally getting it, let me go.

"Baby, I didn't mean to. Why did you say that I was choking you?"

I rubbed my neck, taking few breaths in before speaking again. "Why would you wrap your freaking arm around my neck to begin with?"

"I was being loving."

"And putting me in a choke hold was loving?"

Fang snorted. "That was not a choke hold. Come here, I'll show you one."

"No thank you."

He smiled at me before coming closer. "Sorry. But Max, you cannot go around starting fights with Ella. That was a long time ago."

"I'm just done with being nice to whores."

"Max, aren't you the one that said she's not a whore a few days ago?"

I frowned at him. "Fang, I have problems drinking."

"Alright, so what?"

"That makes me qualified to tell someone when they have a problem drinking."

"I don't see-"

"I used to be a slut just like Ella. I have the right to say if she's a slut."

Fang put a hand to his head. "Max, I try to forget your past, thank you."

"Yeah, well, next time, don't choke and maybe I'll take what you want into consideration."

* * *

"Manny's coming home for Christmas this year."

Tyler looked up from his action figures. "Really?"

"Well, no."

"Alex."

She giggled. "He's gonna get home on the 27th."

"So?"

"Christmas is on the 25th, Ty."

"Really?" He frowned. "Is it always on the 25th?"

"Yep."

"Poor Jesus. Having his birthday on the same date every year must suck."

"Tyler, your _cumpleaños_ is on the same day every year."

"No!"

"Ty."

He looked at her. She was on his bed, playing with his stuffed animals. "So he's gonna miss Christmas?"

"No," Alex said. "Mamá said that we're just going to wait to open presents and stuff for him to get there."

"Oh. Well, what about my gift to you? Do we have to wait to give each other stuff?"

"No," Alex decided. "What if I ask to stay with you on the real Christmas and then have the one with Manny on the 27th?"

"Okay!" Tyler was happy again, glad that he was finally going to spend Christmas with Alex. That was a good enough thought to make him forget the fact his birthday happened on the same date every year. Gee, what a life.

* * *

Thanksgiving was here now. I, not one for togetherness, said I would work the store this year. Fang complained along with Tyler and Tabitha, but everyone over the age of eight could care less. They knew that if I went there, there would be a fight. Besides, I'm not one for family anyways. Unfortunately, this year, Bone was all about it.

Bone swore to me once never to go back to that town he was forced to grow up in. That was, until Victoria said she was going back for the holiday and she had bought him a ticket too. Bone went. He fucking went.

Well, that was an unexpected thing but something that was even more shocking was Luther and Tammie. Last night, after a night of passion, ew, they decided to make it work again. They love each other after all. Clearly, they love each other. Gag. Even though Luther knows he sure as hell will end up in bed with another woman, he's getting back with her. Sometimes, I just can't believe him. Anyways, right now, they're with Tammie's mother and step father. Fun, huh?

I hate life. I just hate it. I couldn't even bring Lucas or Cody with me because _they need to be with there family_. Bigger gag. It's not fair. Ella tried to sleep with my boyfriend while I'm away and I'm the bad person for trying to get at her? Ugh.

"Hey."

I lifted my head off the counter. It was Gasman. "Hey. How'd you get here?"

"I drove."

Frowning, I said, "Right. I forgot how old you are."

"Thanks."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom is letting you come over here?"

"Nope," he said. "She sent me out to get more sodas. Stopped here."

"Mom let you drive her car?"

"Y-"

"Hey, dude, come on." Drake walked into the store. "I've got to get back to Nudge, remember? We were out of diapers."

"Yeah, I remember," Gasman said.

"Did you drive?" I asked Drake.

"Hey, Max. And yeah, I did," he said. "I really need to get back, dude."

"Then go," Gazzy said. "I'm going to stay here with Max."

Drake hesitated. "I don't know. Dr. Martinez really wanted you home."

When I was first introduced to Drake, he was still maturing. I guess because I always thought of him as that seventeen year old boy that Nudge proclaimed she would be marrying, I never looked at him. Now though, he was probably 21 or 22 and I have to admit, he was hot. I had dated a few chocolate guys in my time but none as nice as him. He had muscles but not too muscular. Nudge cheating never made sense but him coming back to her made even less. He could definitely do better than Nudge. I mean, I love Nudge but Drake could have anyone he wanted…Just like Bone. Guys are weird.

"No," Gasman said. "I don't really want to be there anyways."

Drake clearly didn't want to leave him, probably knowing he was in for a fight with Nudge about it, but he also probably knew that he needed to get those diapers to her too. "Fine, whatever. You're head, not mine. See ya, Max."

"Bye."

He gave a two finger wave before leaving. Gasman came to sit behind the counter, next to me.

"Gasman, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

I sighed. "Why don't you want to be at Mom's? Don't you like Iggy and her's cooking?"

"Don't you?"

"If I went over there, you'd have to wipe Ella up off the floor."

"I'd be okay with that."

I laughed, shaking my head. "So how's Angel?"

Gasman shrugged. "Alright, I guess."

"You guess?"

"We don't…talk that much."

I sighed. "What I meant was, she's not a Nudge is she?"

"Hmmm?"

"She's not pregnant?"

"If she is, I sure as hell don't know about it."

Again, I laughed a little. "Well, you're not out trying to get a girl pregnant, are you?"

He blushed. "M-Max."

"What? It's a legitimate question."

"What are you asking me, exactly?"

"Are you sleeping with someone? You know, fucking-"

"No wonder Dr. Martinez kicked you out."

I just smiled at him. "Yeah. Apparently dick isn't kid friendly."

"When has it ever been?"

"When it's used as a name," I said.

"Please tell me how many dicks you've known."

"Quite a lot, Gasman."

"Max."

* * *

Trent came in the day before Thanksgiving, surprisingly without his son. When asked about it, he mumbled something under his breath, never directly answering the question. It was the night day, Thanksgiving, and, as Paul would not allow smoking in his house, Trent was outside smoking around eleven p.m. when Cameron and Damien came out there. As it was dark, the pair didn't notice him.

"I don't get the issue."

"Of course you don't. You're stupid."

Trent was inclined to agree with this.

"Cameron-"

"No."

"What's your problem? Am I not allowed to talk about Sam-"

"Stop calling her that!"

"That's her name!"

"You are ruining my Thanksgiving."

"You hate holidays anyways."

"Says who?"

"You."

He had a point but she refused to give it to him. "Shut up, Damien."

So he did. Cameron seemed content just to stand there and look at him but personally, Damien was freezing. Just as he was going to ask if he could go in, Paul stopped him by coming outside.

"So is the game over?" He asked, walking out onto the patio. "'Cause I had a really good hand-"

"Shut up, Paul."

"Cameron, what's your problem?" Paul asked.

"Besides being a bitch?"

They all jumped. Trent laughed in his head, though his face never changed as he stepped out of the shadow created by the porch lamp.

"Dude, I told you before and I'll tell you again-" Paul started but his younger half-brother cut him off.

"I can't have my kid for Thanksgiving. You know why? Her."

"I didn't have anything to do with that," Cameron said. And it was true. She was over helping Mary. It was clear that she refused to leave Trent and, honestly, Cameron had more important things to worry about. Like how to make Damien's life a living hell. She was doing a pretty good job at it too.

"Yes you did. You have everything to do with fucking up my life."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Me fuck your life? Hardly. Maybe the other way around but definitely not the way you said it."

"Whatever, bitch."

"Hey-" Again, Paul was cut off.

"Take that back."

Trent took a second to make sure he was hearing correctly before speaking. "What?"

"Take it back you…jerk." Yep, Damien called him a jerk and he had a right to. That's exactly what Trent was acting like.

The other man laughed at him. "Real keeper you've got here, Cameron."

"I said," Damien kept at it, "to take it back. And I mean it."

Trent seemed to be having fun with this. "Or what?"

"Just take it back."

"Damien," Cameron tried but he ignored her. Damien didn't like Trent. He didn't hate him. God didn't like hate. Damien just had a strong distaste for him. Trent was a bully and mean. Why would he like him?

"Make me," Trent said, smiling slightly.

"Say it again and I will."

"Bitch."

Damien hit him in the mouth. Trent did a lot worse to him. When Paul and Cameron were finally able to break them up, it was clear who the winner is. Cameron helped Damien up while Paul just pushed Trent back down.

"Really, Trent?"

"He hit me first!"

"Come on, Damien," Cameron said, pulling him inside. She was in the kitchen, holding a paper towel to his bleeding nose when Lacey walked in.

"What happened?"

"Trent," Cameron said, making the other woman frown.

"He hit you?"

Damien tried to not but Cameron made him stop. Paul walked into the backdoor, without Trent.

"Where's Trent?" Cameron asked as Lacey put ice in a bag for Damien.

"He left."

"Left to where?"

"Don't know, don't care," Paul said before walking out of the room. After a few more minutes, Damien's nose stopped bleeding and he and Cameron went into their bedroom.

"I had him, if you guys hadn't had broken us up," Damien said as Cameron made him lay down on the bed.

"I know," she said. "Damien, don't lay down. Get up and change clothes."

He changed before laying back down. Cameron left the room to go to the bathroom before getting back into bed with him.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

He winced as she laid a hand on his chest. "I just hurt a little. He's not that great. Trust me, I've been hit harder."

Cameron frowned. "Damien, why did you do that?"

"Well, people just didn't used to like me and were really mean and-"

"I meant get in a fight with Trent."

"Oh," he said. "Well, he called you a bad word. He can't do that. You're not a bad word. I don't like bad words."

"Still. You got hurt."

"Yeah but did you see him?"

Yes. "Damien, I don't like you hurt."

"I'm fine."

She sighed, closing her eyes. "I am way too pregnant to be dealing with this."

He kissed her head. "I'm sorry."

"I love Trent."

"Okay."

"He's just weird," Cameron said.

"He's not going to call you bad words in front of me, Cameron, alright?"

"Damien-"

"No, Cameron. He's just not," he told her. "I know that I don't stand strong on a lot of things but this is one of the few I am going to. He is not going to do that."

"Whatever."

"Cameron, don't be mad at me about it," he said, running a hand down her side. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good," he said, kissing her head.

* * *

**December**

Copy cats. I bring them together and they pull a me and Fang.

For those of you who haven't caught on, Damien and Cameron decided to just have a courthouse wedding. Those fakers. Me and Fang invented that! Okay, maybe not invented but whatever.

"You okay?"

I glanced at Fang. He was talking about it being the 9th, not Cameron and Damien. They got married three days ago. Yes, I'm still bitching about that but whatever.

"Yeah," I said, rolling over so that my back was to him. Kevin had been with me all year, he always was, but I still learning to accept and not be such a downer. No matter how I act, he's still gone.

"Do you want-"

"I just want you to leave. Please."

"Alright," he said. Fang gave me a kiss on the back of the head before leaving the room. Suddenly, a thought accrued to me. Today was the same day that Cameron was taken. Huh. Wonder what her and Damien are doing.

* * *

"Are you awake?"

"If I say yes will you go away?"

"No."

"Then no, I'm asleep."

"Cameron."

She opened her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I'm going to tell them."

"Who?"

"My parents."

She got even more bored with the conversation. "Tell them what?"

"That we're married."

Now, she was beyond bored. Cameron closed her eyes, planning to go to sleep. "Have fun."

"Cammie."

"What?"

"Come with me."

"Why? Are you scared?"

"No. I just…I don't know."

"Damien, grow up. Why would they care?"

"My dad will just be happy that we are but my mom will be upset."

"We can always go back and have a public wedding later, if you want."

He sighed. Cameron made him go get married. She said she wanted to be married before the baby came around and he was going to do it or else she'd find someone else. Of course he did it. What choice did he have?

"Cameron, come on."

"Damien, I do not feel like going over to your parent's house and being made fun of by your father. Sorry."

"You won't be."

"Yes I will."

"Cameron-"

"I'm pregnant, tired, and not having the best day of my life, alright? Just leave me alone."

He laid there holding her for awhile, until she feel back to sleep. Then he got up and dressed before going to his parent's. His father was on the couch, as always, FOX News on. His mother, who had answer the door, returned to the kitchen, not even asking why he was there.

"Mom?"

"I'm making your father breakfast. There's enough for you too."

"Oh. Thanks."

"What do you want, boy?" Dan asked as Damien sat down on the couch.

"I had something to tell you and Mom."

"I'm listening," Trinity called from the kitchen.

"Uh…me and Cameron got married."

Dan glanced at him. "Don't see a ring."

"We're getting them," Damien said. "We weren't planning it so-"

"You what?" His mother came into the room. "Damien-"

"We weren't planning on it."

"So? How could you do this? Did you not think that I wanted to be there for your-"

"Calm down," his father said, not even looking away from his news. "Better than him living in sin."

"Dan, no it is not."

"Yes it is," he repeated, still not looking at her. "You done with my food yet?"

"Dan-"

"I've got work in about thirty minutes, Trinity."

"I-"

"Please."

The only person Dan ever asked and didn't order was Trinity. Damien was never sure about his parents relationship. It was odd. His father was so cold and Trinity was so…not.

"Fine," she said, turning and going back into the kitchen.

"You should go," Dan said.

"What? Mom said she was making me-"

"Now. Leave."

Frowning, Damien got up. He was to the door when his father called to him.

"Damien, you did good."

It took him a second to process those words. Damien was already to his car when he realized his dad was actually nice to him for once. Wow.


	10. Chapter 10

Living

Chapter 10

You know, first they have such miserable lives that I just have to bring them together, then they go and sneak off to get married. It's like they're freaking obsessed with me. Now, they've gone and stolen the name I was going to give Lucas if he were a girl.

Samantha. God. Now, I have to pick another name if we have a girl. Geez.

Yes, Samantha Nicole Sheer was born five days ago, on the 13th. She looked like Cameron, which is good. If she looked like that guy…I don't know. The only problem? She was born with hair. Not an issue, right? It is when it was blonde and Cameron's not. Guess who is?

Anyways, I have more important things to worry about, actually. Tomorrow is Lucas's birthday and I have to figure out who's coming. Damien and Cameron are off the list, I think, and someone has to be at the store, probably Luther. He and Tammie are already fighting again. She was planning on coming so I doubt he'll be here. Bone was coming, of course. Even with Victoria, he still found time to treat Lucas like royalty.

"Me party, Mommy."

"Not today, silly," I said, not looking away from the TV. Lucas huffed.

"I wan' it now!"

"Too bad," I said, still not looking away from the TV. Did he not realize that Maury was on?

"Daddy!"

"What?" Fang came into the bedroom. "Are you okay?"

He held out his hands for his father to pick him up. Once he was in his arms, Lucas said, "Mommy's mean."

"I know she is," Fang said, kissing his head. "Max, say sorry to him."

"Um…no, I'm good."

"Max."

"Fang, go away."

"Fine," he said. "But I'm taking Lucas with me."

"Thank God."

* * *

Damien groaned. He had only been asleep for ten minutes, thanks to the baby. She needed her diaper changed. Damien knew that taking care of a newborn was hard, but not this hard.

Ten minutes…wait, what was it that was waking him up right now? His phone was vibrating in his pocket. Why was he still in his jeans? Did he sleep in them? Groaning again, he pulled his phone out.

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby."

Normally, he would smile from the sound of his mother's voice but not today. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven. Were you just getting up?"

More like just getting to sleep. "No."

"Where's Cameron?"

Where was she? "In the shower, I think."

"Is the baby sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Well, okay. I just wanted to check on you," she said.

"Bye," Damien said.

"Bye."

He hung up and laid back down. "Cameron?"

"Damien, keep your voice down. You'll wake it up." She opened the bathroom door. "I'm just brushing my hair.

He frowned. "You're going somewhere?"

"No. I just hadn't showered in, like, two days and felt like actually getting dressed and stuff today."

Damien closed his eyes. "I'm going back to sleep."

"You're so lazy."

"I was up with the baby all night."

"So was I."

"Only when I forced you to go feed her."

"Shut up, Damien."

He sighed as Samantha started crying from the other room. Cameron made no move to go and get her, so Damien just went to do it. He had painted his baby's room pink because he knew she'd like it. He bought her a pink crib too. He was a good daddy.

"Hi, Sam."

She ignored him, continuing to scream her head off. Groaning, he picked her up. She was just upset that she had heard their voices so he didn't have to deal with poop or pee. Damien rocked her for awhile until she finally fell back asleep. He gave her a kiss on the head before laying her back down.

"Night-night, Samantha," he whispered before walking out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. Now that the baby was there, Damien put the thought of that nasty guy from his mind. Of course, Cameron was going to have to testify soon but he wasn't too concerned with that. Sam was here now and she loved him. This was the best thing in the world.

Damien had just gotten back into bed with Cameron shook his shoulder. "Damien."

"What? Is Sam-"

"No. I need you to make me food."

He groaned. "Cameron, I'm tired."

"Please? I'm hungry, Damien."

He sighed, getting up. "What do you want?"

Cameron just smiled, following him out of the room.

* * *

"Hey," Fang said, walking into the store. Luther didn't even look up from his phone. "What are you doing?"

"Planning a party."

"Ooh, I want to go!" Tabitha ran around the counter. "Can I?"

He glanced at her. "What are you doing here? Don't you go school, baby girl?"

"No. It's Christmas break."

"Great," he mumbled, shaking his head. "Where's the birthday boy, Fang?"

"His birthday isn't until tomorrow and he's with Max."

"Hn," was all Luther said.

"Who's your party for, Luther?" Tabitha asked. "Lucas?"

He sighed. "Hey, Tabs? Can you get that rag from the inventory room and start dusting the books? Please? For me?"

She giggled before running off to go do it.

"What party, Luther?"

He sighed. "Fang, you guys are going to have James tomorrow, right? He's spending the night."

"Yeah."

"And Tammie's moved back in with Justin so I'm alone. What type of party do you think it is?"

Fang shook his head. "Whatever."

"What? Do you know how long I've gone with out that?"

"Just shut up, alright?"

Luther went back to texting all of his fuck friends.

* * *

"Me three," Lucas greeted Mom.

"Not yet," she said, walking into the house.

"Yes," he complained as I closed the door. "Presents."

I groaned. Why would anyone ever want children? They are so fucking annoying. "What are you dong here, Mom?"

We hadn't really talked since the whole Ella fight thing. Whatever. She raised a slut for a daughter. Ain't my fault.

"I'veway otgay Ucas'slay iftsgay inway ethay arcay andway antedway otay opdray emthay offway."

"What?"

"I've got you know who's you know what in the car."

Lucas, no longer understanding the conversation, went over to Fox and started licking him. "Fox!"

I sighed, looking back at her. "Why are you bring them now?"

"I'm not going to be here tomorrow…or the rest of the week."

"What?"

She nodded. "I'm going on vacation."

"Mom, what about Christmas?"

She looked away. "Max, I have a…family emergency."

I looked her up and down. "Alright. Tell me it, then."

"Max-"

"Am I not family?"

She hesitated. "I…have some family that's coming to town for Christmas."

I crossed my arms. "Continue."

"They don't exactly know about you and your family."

I frowned. "What?"

She huffed. "It's not like I go around telling people that I left my oldest daughter to presumably be killed or turned into a weapon. It's not something I like putting on my resume."

"Wait, if they're coming to see you, why are you leaving?" I wasn't going to hold the whole 'avoid-ever-bringing-you-up' thing against her for now. I was too curious as to her plan for this whole thing. My mother might not seem it, but she is very intelligent. The school didn't make her join them for nothing.

"I've rented a house for the next to months out of town, just in case you guys didn't know what it meant to leave me alone."

Now that I had heard the plan, I was allowing my self to be offended. "Lucas doesn't want your gifts."

She frowned. "What?"

"You heard me. If he doesn't exist because you're not adult enough to own up to your mistakes, you can just forget him all together."

"Max-"

"No, Mom."

She scowled at me. "What exactly do you want me to do, Max?"

"Admit to them that we're here, because we clearly are, and let us meet them."

My mother's face was indescribable but I knew I had won. I always win, after all.

* * *

"Wait, what?"

I nodded. "Apparently, I never came up in any conversations."

He frowned. "Max, that doesn't make any sense. What about when we were always in the news? Your mother's name was in there too."

"Her family doesn't read it a lot. Also, she said that in Mexico, we weren't as big. Just thought of as a big hoax."

Fang closed his eyes. "You gonna get in bed or what?"

I sighed. "I'm going to go check on the kids."

"Have fun," he said before adding, "and don't bring any of them back with you."

"Why?" I asked, amused. "Planning a fun night?"

"No. I actually want to sleep."

I gave him a small smile before walking out of the room. Lucas was sleeping and so was Cody. When I got up to Tabitha's room, she was drawing.

"Bed. Now."

"Max-"

"No. I told you that fifteen minutes ago."

"If it was Tyler-"

"Tabitha, just go to bed, alright?" I went over to give her a kiss on the head but she moved. "Tabitha-"

"Leave me alone. I don't like you."

I wasn't going to play into her. Not today. I walked towards the door. "Go to bed. Now."

"I hate you!"

I closed the door behind me. When I went into Tyler's room, he and Alex both in bed. They weren't asleep though.

"Ignore Tabitha," Tyler told me before I could say anything. "You don't need her. You've got us."

Alex giggled, burying her face in his pillow. Tyler smiled as I went to give him a kiss and cover them over more.

"Go to bed," I told them before leaving. After I got Tank and the cats water, I went back to my bedroom. Fang, as promised, was sleeping. Rolling my eyes, I climbed into bed with him, cuddling against his back.

Fang groaned. "Stop."

I snuggled against him. "I love you."

"Mmmm."

"Tabitha hates me."

Fang made a noise, rolling over. He laid his head next to mine. "She does not."

"Yes she does."

"What was it this time?"

"I told her to go to bed and then she said that I wouldn't do that to Tyler. I do not treat them differently."

Fang closed his eyes again, as if this problem wasn't worth the exhaustion of keeping them open. "Take her out, just the two of-"

"Fang, I've tried that!"

He opened his eyes again. "Then I don't know what to say, Max. You're the only one that she has the problem with."

"I know, but why?"

Fang shrugged. "Don't stress about it."

"Fang, I have to stress about it. Even if I didn't, I still would," I told him. "What have I ever done to her, huh?"

After kissing my head, Fang put his back to me again. "Go to sleep, Max."

"Fang-"

"If there's nothing you can do, laying here and not sleeping won't help anything."

If she hated him, he'd care. I put my back to his, ignoring him the rest of the night.

* * *

"Damien?"

He groaned. "What time is it?"

"Eight."

"Let me sleep a little bit longer, Cam."

She ran a hand down his back. "You need to take Lucas's gift over to Max's."

"I know."

She kissed his ear. "When do you want me to wake you up?"

"Next time Sam cries, I'll get her and then go."

"Okay."

Peter jumped into the bed, staying away from Cameron and Damien. They brought this _thing_ home that made these horrid wailing noises and they wouldn't let him in the room with it. Not that he wanted to be in the same room as it…

Cameron reached down and pulled the cat up to her. "Hi, Peter."

He curled against her, betraying his inner thoughts. Cameron giggled as he licked her hand. She laid there, watching Damien sleep for awhile before turning on the TV. Eventually, the baby started crying again. She pushed Damien.

"Get up."

He groaned but did so, leaving the room. A few minutes later, the baby had stopped crying and he came back. Damien changed clothes.

"Bye, Cameron."

"Yeah, bye."

He went and gave her a kiss before leaving. When he got to Max's house, Luther's car was already parked out front. Damien grabbed the gift from the passenger seat before going up to the house.

"Hey," Fang greeted, opening the door. "What are you doing here?"

Damien held out Lucas's gift. "Came to drop it off. Why's Luther here?"

Fang frowned. "Oh, you mean his car? Tammie drove it."

"With Justin?"

Fang gave him a smile. "It's not your problem, Damien. Go home."

He was about to ask if he could come in for awhile and get away from Cameron when something fell in the house.

"Fang, I'm going to kill your sons!" Max yelled from somewhere in the house. And that made him want to crawl back to Cameron's yelling. Cameron would yell and scream but Max would nag and sulk. Too very different things. He would choose Cameron every time.

* * *

"I don't wanna meet people," Tyler complained. It was Lucas's birthday party finally, but Tyler wasn't concerned with it.

Mom sighed, handing him a plate with cake on it. "Trust me, Tyler, they won't be thrilled to see you either."

Tyler frowned. "You just don't 'preciate me. Come on, Alex."

She giggled as Mom gave her a plate before following him. "Wait, Ty!"

"See?" Mom looked at me. "They don't want-"

"I just love how you justify this," I told her. "Is that why you helped me when I was fourteen? Was that the only way to get rid of your guilt? If it was, then guess what? Your debt to me is far from over."

"I do not owe you anything, Max."

"Please, save it," I said, walking out of the kitchen.

"See?" Tabitha said to Mom as she left. "Max is a bitch."

And that unified me and Mom again.

Mom threatened to wash her mouth out with soap as I yelled at her. After we were done, we called Fang in there and he took her upstairs to her bedroom, no doubt to do worse. That was the end of our unification.

"Clearly, you do not know how to watch your mouth," Mom turned her rant on me. "I told Fang that you wouldn't change-"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You're just a bad influence."

"At least I didn't leave my child."

"At least I didn't let mine get killed."

"Get the fuck out of my house."

"See-"

"Now."

Bone walked into the room with Lucas. "We want more cake."

Lucas nodded. "Ye-"

"Get out of my house," I repeated. Bone frowned, setting Lucas on the ground.

"Wrong?"

I ignored him. Mom stared at me for a second before walking out of the kitchen and then out of the house.

"Grandma?" Lucas stared after her. "Me party! Grandma!"

"Max-" Bone started but I just ran out of the room and into my bedroom.

* * *

"Damien?"

He turned his head so that he could see the door. "What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure that the baby's okay."

Cameron rolled her eyes, leaning against the doorframe. "She's fine."

"No. I think she's-"

"Damien, if you wake her up again, I'll make you sleep downstairs."

He sighed, moving away from the crib. Cameron smiled at him, moving out of the doorway so that he could leave the room. As she closed the door, Cameron told him she was going to bed. Damien followed her into the bedroom.

"Alright. I'm going to take a shower."

Cameron said nothing more to him, just laid down on the bed. Damien sighed, going into the bathroom. He had been in the shower just long enough to get his hair wet when Cameron started banging on the door.

"What?" He yelled, turning off the water to hear her.

"Go get the door," she said from the other side.

"What?"

"The front door."

"Cameron, I'm in the shower."

"And I'm in bed."

"You're knocking on the bathroom door."

"And now I'm back in bed," she said. "Besides, it might be your mother. I don't want to deal with her."

Damien got out of the shower and pulled on his jeans before walking out of the bathroom. "You're my family now, Cameron. So is my Mom. Deal with it."

"Screw you."

He ran down the stairs, figuring it was just Luther. When he opened the door, he was slightly happy to find that he was wrong. He couldn't deal with Luther at the moment. Then he realized he didn't k now these people.

The man looked Damien up and down. "Well, what a pleasant surprise. Butler, I assume? Maybe pool boy. Does Cameron have a pool, dear?"

"I can't remember," the woman behind him said.

"Cameron!" Damien moved back. "Cam, come here!"

"Damien, shut up," she hissed, coming down the stairs. "You're going to wake- Dad."

"Ah, there she is," he said, walking into the house. "Sleeping with the pool boy, I see."

Cameron frowned, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Then she noticed Damien was shirtless. "No, Dad, that's more up your alley."

He didn't even blink. "Hmmm…still as tasteless as always, Cameron. Honestly, when are you going to try something called decorating?"

She crossed her arms. "What are you here for?"

Damien moved closer to Cameron. Her dad scared him. He looked so…cold. Dan was cold but he was a rugged cold. This guy was skinny, dressed sharply, and had a face that just sent chills down your spines. It didn't seem to have an affect on Cameron.

"To see you, of course," her father answered.

"Of course. Because, you know, you couldn't do that while I was in the hospital or right when I got home."

"We were in Europe," the woman said with a shrug, as if that excused all faults.

"Did you even care about what happened to me?"

"Your brother called me," her father said, looking around. "Yes pool or no?"

"No."

"Then who is he?"

She didn't have to answer this because the baby started crying. Cameron immediately went back up the stairs.

"What is that?" Her father called after her.

"Samantha. My baby."

Any other time, Damien would have been excited that she not only called Sam by name but also acknowledged the newborn as her own. But right now, he was too busy being nervous to do that. Damn Cameron. She never cared enough to go get Samantha before. Now he was stuck in here with strangers.

The other two people seemed to careless for Damien, however. Neither spoke to him, only each other. Cameron came back after a few minutes.

"Now," her father began. "That child…I was under the impression that you aborted it."

"Hardly," Cameron said, making a face at her dad.

"Not pool boy…obviously not a housekeeper. Hmmm…appears rather unclean. Sex with the homeless is not-"

"This is my husband. Damien."

Her father blinked. The woman spoke. "Not quit a catch."

"Now, now, who are we to judge? She gets it from her mother."

Cameron looked away for a second. "What do you want? Really?"

Her father looked around again. "I have already told you. I came to see you."

"Yeah, okay."

"Now, is that little boy here?"

"Tommy? No."

"Good."

Again she looked away. "Have you already checked into your hotel?"

"I was hoping that we could stay here."

Cameron's fight went back to her eyes. "The baby's in the guest room."

"We'll take yours."

She glared at him. "No, you won't. You can have the couch."

"You cannot honestly expect us to sleep on that, that thing."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Fine. Sleep in Tommy's bed. It's big enough."

"Why can't you and the pool boy not sleep in the boy's bed?"

Choosing not to correct him on Damien's title, she said, "Because, it's our bed."

Her father straightened. "Fine, I suppose it will do for the night. Do you have any wine?"

"What?"

"As uncivilized as your pool boy seems, you must have something to drink in this house."

"You know that I don't' drink," Cameron said, starting back up the stairs. "You know where Tommy's room is. And leave the baby alone. Come on, Damien."

He glanced at the man and woman before following her. Once they were in the safety of their bedroom, Damien opened his mouth to ask something.

"Don't," Cameron said, laying down. "Go finish your shower. We'll talk later."

He frowned, feeling weird. Cameron though seemed fine with guests in the house so he just went and did as he was told, as always.

* * *

"They're all gone."

I moaned but didn't move. "How's Lucas? Is he upset?"

"No. He's sleepy. He wanted to sleep in here but I wanted to talk to you."

Fang came and sat on the edge of the bed, next to me. I still laid with my head pressed into the pillow, not wanting to move. Fang ran a hand down the back of my head, like II was a kid.

"I yelled at Tabitha," he told me after a minute or two. "She didn't mean anything, Max. She's just…I don't know. She loves you. She knows that you love her."

I still said nothing. For once, Fang didn't need me too.

"And the stuff with your mom," he began, "go easy on her."

What? Go easy?

"I mean," he continued, apparently not able to ready my thoughts, "she had it tough. She still does. We might not get what she does or why she does it, but who are we to judge? I know that it hurts, by maybe we should just let her live her life how she wants. So what if her family has no idea we're here?"

"Fang, if she doesn't care enough about us to-"

"Max, look at it this way. Here, all she has is Ella and you as family. If she moved back to Mexico, she's be with all the rest of her family. She chooses to stay here, with us. Not them."

"Still."

Fang leaned over and kissed m. "Just think about it baby. What you two do is your business."

He got up and left the room, going to take care of the kids. I sighed, laying there for a long time. I just don't get how she never thought once to bring me up. I am pretty dang important. It doesn't make any sense. And, on top of everything else, it just makes me plain mad. She's the one that joined the school. I didn't make her do that. It was her choice. It was a tough one but she still made it. So, any troubles that come along with that choice fall solely on her shoulders.

* * *

It was finally Christmas Eve and Alex was over. She was apparently allowed to stay with us for Christmas too. This excited Tyler so I just said yes. I thought about saying no just to get Tabitha on my side but that would just make Tyler hate me. He would actually have a reason to, too.

Mom and I weren't talking. I'm not sure if she went ahead and stayed in that apartment or what. Doesn't matter to me. Her and Ella can do whatever the hell they want. They aren't my problem. Besides, everyone is here for Christmas.

Iggy has the room he had last time, I gave Nudge and Drake the other, and Gasman is on the couch. I don't need Dr. Martinez to spend time with my family.

"Where were you?" I asked Fang.

"Getting food," he said. He had twenty boxes of pizza in his arm but I still wasn't buying it.

"That's a long time to be buying pizza."

"It's a lot of pizza," he said, walking into the kitchen. "Food! First come, first serve!"

"Fang, you were over there, weren't you?"

"Are you accusing me of something?"

I frowned. "You went to my mother's."

"N-"

"Fang."

"Max, I missed her."

I punched him. "Did Ella finally give you that blow too?"

He rubbed his arm. "No hitting."

"Fang, you can't do this to me."

"Do what? If you suddenly decided you hated food would I have to give it up too?"

"You're a fucking asshole," I said, walking out of the room.

"Max, come eat."

"No. I'm giving up food. But you'll be fine. You'll eat it anyways."

* * *

They were still here. God. Damien couldn't do anything. Okay, so he could, but he felt weird with her father and step mother around. They kept commenting on him.

Cameron seemed unaffected by it. "Damien, go downstairs and get me-"

"They're here, Cameron."

"They have been since the 19th. You should be used to it by now."

He frowned. "It's Christmas Eve."

"And?"

"You said that we were spending Christmas with my family."

"We are."

"How can we with them here?"

She sighed. "Damien, I didn't invite them."

"I know but-"

"It's my dad, alright? I can't just make him leave."

"Still-"

"Cameron?" There was a knock at the door. "Me and Janice are going out."

"On Christmas Eve?"

"Yes."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Have fun."

"Right. We won't be back either."

She got out of bed and opened the bedroom door. "What?"

"Your house was a stopping ground," he said. "We're on our way to Japan."

"So, if your plan hadn't stopped here, you wouldn't have even came to see me?"

"Now, now," her father began in his calming tone. "Do not fret over minor details. I have seen you and…the other inhabitants of the house. Now I am ready to go."

Cameron stared at it for a minute before slamming the bedroom door in his face. It woke Samantha but Cameron was in the way so Damien couldn't get out the door to go get her.

"Then leave. Just fucking leave again. That's all your ever good at."

"Cameron-"

"I thought for once you'd be here for one holiday but no. Whatever. Have fun in Japan."

"Alright, then. I'll see you next time-"

"Don't play like you're coming back. You're never coming back. You never do come back. Tell your next wife hi for me, because I don't plan on talking to you when you and Janice finally divorce or your next wedding."

"You're always so dramatic."

"So what if I'm fucking dramatic?" She closed her eyes. "Mom was right. Jack is a way better father than you ever will be."

It was silent for a second. Then Damien herd her father's steps go down the hall and then down the staircase. When the front door finally shut, Cameron got into bed, burying her head in Damien' pillow. He sighed, wanting to comfort her but needing to go get Sam. He went to the baby instead. She was easy to calm. Having just been scared by the door, she went back to sleep quickly. Then Damien was able to go back to Cameron.

"Cam-"

"Not now, Damien."

He got into bed with her. "Remember the first night he was here? You told me that you'd tell me about him later. We never did talk."

She rolled onto her back. Peter, who had been hiding under the bed, came out and got up there with them. He didn't like loud voices. Cameron pulled him to her, needing the cat's comfort.

"He's different."

Damien laid on his side, facing her. "Jack is Trent's dad?"

She nodded, running her hand up and down Peter's back. 'Yeah."

"Your dad travels a lot?"

"All the time."

Damien frowned. "Does he have a house?"

"Well, yeah. He just doesn't spend that much time there."

"…Has he had a lot of wives?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I thought you said he wasn't a cheater?"

Glaring at him, she said, "You can have a lot of wives and not be a cheater, Damien."

"S-Sorry."

Cameron sighed. "After what my mother did to him…he just changed, Damien."

"Everyone changes."

Her tone changed. "Not like that. He was a whole different person."

"Why?"

"He loved my mom and she killed him inside," she said. "I hope she rots in hell."

"Cameron-"

"What? She was a bitch. I fucking hated her. It was one thing that she ruined me but she ruined my father for me too!"

He sighed. "It's not good to live with all that hate."

"So what? It's not good to live knowing that your mother's a bitch but I'm stuck with that."

"Stop it! I don't like cursing."

"Then don't fucking ask questions."

He turned his back to her. "I can't stand you like that, Cameron. I love you but you can't curse. It's not right."

"Oh, like you don't cuss in your head all the time."

"…Don't curse around me, alright?"

"And if I say no?"

He breathed out through his nose. "I can't love someone that's not going to heaven with me."

"Who are you to tell me where I'm going?" She got indignant. "Ooh, I'm Damien and I'm so fucking high and might-"

"Stop, alright?"

"Why would you have married me if you think that you're better than me because you go to church?"

"I never said that I'm better than you. I'm not better than you. I just…sometimes I just can't."

"Can't what?"

"Listen to you."

"Then don't, Damien. I didn't ask you to listen to me. I didn't ask you to marry me. I didn't ask you to stay with me. That's the problem, right? You just can't get past-"

"I am past that, Cameron! That was never my hang up! It was yours. I gave you time. I gave you chances. You didn't want what happened, I know that. It's not your fault. I'll never say that it is. But you can't keep taking the past out on me. Your family, your rape-"

"Don't you fucking label my life like it's some scene from a movie."

"I'm not trying to."

"Just leave me alone, Damien," she said. "You're just like all the others."

"Other what?"

"Men. Not only a fucking man but also a fucking Christian. Hypocrite. That's all you are."

He got out of bed. "I can't deal with you like this."

"Then go. I don't need you," she lied. "I've never fucking needed you. Walk out the door. Leave. You know what? Go catch my dad. I'm sure he'll take you to fucking Japan with him. There you can convert people, right? Because all you Christians think that other countries don't know God, right? Maybe even meet a real Japanese person. Tired of those fakes at the Anime store? Go get a real one. Bet you'll love that. Huh? Huh?"

He ignored her and just walked out of the room. He didn't even slam the door behind him. He didn't eve care enough to get upset.

"Fuck you then! Fuck all of you! I don't want you, Damien. Go run back to your mother! That's all you're good for! Go!"

Damien went to Samantha's bedroom and put her in her carrier before leaving the house, headed to his parents. Even when they were fighting, he still listened to Cameron.

* * *

"I 'ike Christmas," Lucas told me. "Christmas is green and red! Me and Tyler are green and red."

Alex giggled, though she had heard Lucas say this a million times already. "Lucas is funny."

"Not really," Tyler told her.

We were in the living room, some Rudolph movie on. Gasman and Iggy had gone out, probably to do something that I would yell at them for but whatever. I was bored out of my effing mind, not to mention still mad about Mom. Bone wasn't even here to comfort me. He and his precious _Victoria_ are visiting her family. You know, because their in fucking love. They say that they're in love but they're not. You know what real love is? Huh? Huh? Nothing. Love is nothing. There is no such thing as love. Love is a lie. Simple Plan already spelled that one out for you. Or sung is out. Sang? Whatever. The point is that Love is fake. There is no such thing as-

"I love you," Fang whispered in my ear before kissing the side of my head. Oh, right. I'm in love with Fang. Bleck.

"Shut up," I said. "I'm watching Ralf."

"Rudolph."

"Whatever."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, smiling.

"Alright," Tyler said randomly, standing up. "I've finally figured it out."

"What?" Alex asked. She was playing Barbie with Nudge. Tabitha had disappeared into her room with no plans of coming out tonight.

"How to be a Jew."

Oh God.

"I don't want to be a Jew," Alex said, making Tyler frown. "I kind of like being Mexican. Manny says that Mexicans are the best. I don't know."

"No! Jews are better," Tyler said. "Right Max?"

I sighed. "No one is any better than another, Tyler. Race or religion doesn't make you a better person."

"I love you, Max, but you're wrong. Jews are awesome. Mexicans suck."

"Take that back!" Alex jumped up. Great. Tommy turned my nice, sweet boy into a bigot just like him. Okay, so Tyler's not nice or sweet but he's normally not _racist_! God, can I not catch a break today?

"Stop it, Tyler," Drake ordered. He was laying on the floor, looking like Ralf was killing him too. God, why do little kids movies have to suck? I want real kid movies back. You know, the slasher films and horror movies with dead children? Okay, so not kid movies but the movies you stay up late to watch while Jeb is passed out in his room, probably secretly planning your demise. You know the ones.

"But it's true! Everyone should be Jewish."

At least we know he's not Hitler. Fang shook his head. "Stop, Tyler. You want your gifts tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Then stop."

He frowned but sat back down. Damn. I wanted to know his plan to be Jewish. I wonder if he knows he could just convert… Though, then he wouldn't be born Jewish. Geez, this stuff is hard.

Alex wasn't finished though. "Take it back, Tyler!"

"Chill, Alex," he said. "I'll make you one too."

"No! I like being Mexican."

"No you don't."

"Jews don't speak Spanish!"

"They can if they want!"

"I told you to stop," Fang said.

Then Alex did the unthinkable. Okay, I make it more dramatic than it sounds but she did kind of shock me. She got up and pulled him up too. Then she hit him in the mouth. Hard.

"Take it back!"

Tyler started crying before hitting her. Drake jumped up and grabbed Tyler as Nudge pulled Alex to her.

"I hate you!" Tyler raved between tears. "I hope you die!"

"I hate you too!" Alex yelled back at him. _"__Vas__a__morir__,_Tyler_.__Espero__que__le dé cáncer__otra vez__!"_

"Knock it off!" Fang got off the couch and took Tyler from Drake. He took him upstairs. Alex was crying. Great. Now I get to take her home. Fun.

"Come on," Drake said, going over to Nudge. He picked Alex up. "Stop crying. You hit him first."

"He's mean."

"And?" Drake started for the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked him. Drake ignored me. I looked at Nudge but she just shrugged. So, we've got the Mexican hater, upstairs, being yelled at, the Max hater hiding in her bedroom, and the beater outside with mysterious, muscular, sexy- Uh, yeah.

* * *

Alex sniffed. "Are you taking me home?"

"No," Drake said, setting her down. "Why did you hit Tyler?"

"Because he was mean."

"No, why did you hit him?"

"He said that-"

"No. Why did you hit him?"

"Because he-"

"Why?"

"…Because I got mad."

"Alright," he said, sighing. "Now, why were you mad?"

"Because he said something mean."

"See?" Drake asked. "He didn't make you hit him. He said something that made you mad. Hitting him was because you were mad. Don't get mad, you don't hit him."

Alex giggled. "You're like Manny. I like you."

"Yeah, well, I like not having little kids fight around me." Drake picked her up again. "Do you want to go home?"

"No. I want to stay with you."

He laughed a little. "Do you want to go say sorry to Tyler?"

"He said something mean, not me."

"Yes, but you're the one that got mad, remember?" Drake moved her to one arm. "It's your fault. You apologize."

"I don't wanna."

"Would you for me?"

She giggled. "Okay."

* * *

"Am I taking her home?" I asked as Drake walked back in.

"No," Drake said, carrying Alex up the stairs.

"What's up with him?" I asked Nudge. Yes, I am slightly attracted to him. That doesn't mean that I want him. I have Fang. I love Fang. Oh, right, love is fake. Shit, I'm screwed. Hehe, screwed. Yes! I laughed at something in my head. I'm me again!

"He lost his sister when he was a kid," Nudge said, shrugging. "He's always nice to little girls. Like this one that lives in our building-"

"Wait, he lost his sister?"

Nudge nodded. "She was, like, ten or something and he was fourteen."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. He never really told me. I think she got shot…or stabbed. Maybe it was a car accident." She looked over at Lucas, who was happily running around in circles. Tyler and Alex's fight hadn't affected him in the slightest. That's good to know. "You're going to make yourself sick, Lucas."

He giggled. "Yeah."

* * *

"No!" Tyler yelled at something Fang had said as Drake and Alex came into the room.

"Tyler," Drake said, carrying Alex over to Tyler. "Alex has something to tell you."

"No," she groaned, turning her face into his shoulder.

"Yes," Drake prompted. "For me, remember?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Tyler."

He sniffled. "You hit me."

"Did I hurt you?"

He jumped off his bed. "No. Of course not. I'm part superhero, you know."

She giggled. "You are?"

"Duh, Alex. You're so stupid sometimes."

"Hey-"

"But I love you," he added quickly, not wanting her to get mad. She pushed her way out of Drake's arms. "I _amor_ you too."

"Good," Tyler said. "Come here."

Interested, the two older men watched as Alex went over to him. Tyler put his hand on her forehead. Alex laughed.

"What did you do, Tyler?" Fang asked.

"Nothing," he said as Alex took his hand. She ran him out of the room. "Did it work?"

"Did what work?" She asked, the standard question. She had to ask it after Tyler pretended to wipe her mind. It wasn't real but Tyler said that if he put his hand against her head, he would erase her memory. He did this when he told her he hated her, or when he yelled at her. She would always forgive him. Alex loved Tyler.

Tyler giggled as they went back to the living room to finish watching the movie.

* * *

"You left."

Damien kissed Cameron's head. "Merry Christmas."

"It's not Christmas," she said. "And you left me."

"Is too," Damien said. "It's 12:01, on Christmas morning. Merry Christmas."

"You left and you took the baby."

"I didn't want you to be bothered by her," Damien said, kissing her again. "Can I get into bed?"

She rolled her eyes. "You left, Damien."

"You told me to."

"And?"

He sighed. "The point shouldn't be that I left. It should be that I came back. I'll always be back, Cammie. I love you."

"Get in bed."

He did so; laying so that he was facing her. "Are you still mad at me?"

She just closed her eyes. "Damien?"

"What?"

"In the bible, there's a passage about wives."

"There's a lot of those."

"No," she said, shaking her head a little. "I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. There's one that says something about death and wives."

"What?"

"Yeah. It said something about, God I barely remember, something about, in heaven, you have no wife."

"What?"

"Yeah," she said, rolling onto her stomach. "You aren't married. There's no sex. That's a worldly thing."

"What-"

"Maybe you should read your bible more," she said.

"Cameron-"

"Night, Damien. I love you."

He frowned, staring at her. "Yeah. I love you too."


	11. Chapter 11

Living

Chapter 11

"Baby?"

I moaned.

"Get up," he whispered in my ear before blowing in it. I pushed him. Fang laughed. "Come on, Max. It's Christmas."

"I'm tired."

He kissed my ear. He had really began an obsession with my ears. "Come on, baby. Maxie, please?"

"Carry me."

"Max-"

"I'm sleepy, Fang."

"My back hurts."

I pushed him away before standing. "Alright, fine. I'll walk."

Rolling his eyes, Fang followed me out of the room. When we got to the living room, Gasman was passed out on the couch and Drake was in Fang's chair, flipping through the channels on TV.

"Up," I told him. Drake got out of the chair so I could sit down. Fang shook his head as he went upstairs. "Drake, can you go get Lucas and Cody?"

He frowned at me. "You act like I'm hired help."

"Don't feel too special," Iggy said, coming down the stairs. "She treats us all like that."

"Damn straight," I said. "I'm for equality and all that."

Drake rolled his eyes before going off to get the two youngest. I settled into the chair.

As the kids came downstairs, Drake and Gasman went to work sorting the presents. Nudge yawned loudly, coming down behind Tyler and his not girlfriend.

"When do we eat?"

Fang sighed. "After they open their presents."

Tabitha was last down. Fashionably late, I should say. The kids gifts were all sorted and, as she was last there, her pile ran up to the front of the chair. Great, they boxed me in. Good thing I had no plans of ever moving.

"Where do I sit?" She asked.

I sat up. "Here. Come sit in my lap."

She glared at me. "You're not my mom."

"I never said I was."

"Stop it, Tabitha!" Tyler got mad. "You're a brat. Max is a good mommy."

Fang went moved some of Tabitha's gifts around. "Sit here, baby."

I didn't even pay attention as they opened their gifts. Tyler's right. I am a good mommy. I fucking raised them, didn't I? God.

"Mommy!"

I looked at Lucas. He had a stuffed cat. "What?"

"Fox!"

I guess it kind of looked like Fox. "Oh."

He climbed over everyone's stuff and ran over to me. "Fox baby?"

I pulled him into my lap. "Fox is a boy, silly."

Lucas giggled, cuddling his new stuffed toy to him. Lucas never really got into action figures, but he loved stuffed animals. I put him back down, looking over at Tyler and Alex. Of course, she had no gifts, but Tyler was letting her open his. He was laying on his back, having her tell him what he got. Guess they're back together.

I pulled my legs up onto the couch, cuddling into the side. Fang kept looking at me and it was freaking me out. Still tired, I decided to go back to sleep. I don't know how long I was passed out, but when I woke up, I was back in bed.

"Are you up now?"

I looked over at Fang. "Did you carry me?"

He nodded.

"Your back-"

"-is fine," he said, leaning over to kiss me. "I'm sorry."

Great, now what did he do? "For what?"

"Tabitha."

I closed my eyes again. "I don't want to talk about it."

"She does love you, Max."

"Leave it alone, Fang."

"No," he said, rolling onto his side. "I love you and she can't say things like that."

"It's true," I told him. "I'm not her mother. I should have never tried to be. Lydia-"

"-left," he finished. "And she's never coming back."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do," he said, running a hand down my back. "Hold on."

"Why?"

He got out of bed. "I'll be right back."

"Fang, no."

He just walked out of the room. When he came back, he had Tabitha. He made her get into bed with me.

"Tell Max sorry, Tabitha."

"Fang, stop," I said. He was just making things worse. Now she'd be mad at me.

"No."

"Yes," Fang said. "Max is your mommy."

"Fang, if you don't stop-"

"I wanna play with my toys," Tabitha complained, glaring at me.

"You can, as soon as you say it."

"No."

Fang shrugged, walking out of the room. "I'm not letting you two out until you do."

"Fang!"

Tabitha wasn't interested in the fact I was mad too. "I hate you, Max."

I sighed. "Why? What did I do?"

She turned her back to me. "I wanna play with my Barbies."

"That's not my fault, baby," I said. "Fang! Let her out."

"Nope."

"I'll cut your throat if you don't."

"Save the sweet talk for tonight, Maxie."

"I'm gonna-"

The doorbell rang and Fang sighed. "Fine, she can come out. I've got the door."

He went away. Tabitha tried to get up, but I held her down. "Wait a second, Tabs."

"No!"

"Yes," I said, not letting go. I was mad Fang brought her in here, but now I wanted to know what her problem is. "Tell me why you're mad at me."

"No!"

"Tabitha, please."

She stopped struggling. "I don't want you to be my mom."

I sighed, letting her go. Reaching out, I tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "I've told you before, Tabitha; I'm not going to be anything that you don't want me to be."

She sniffled. "I'm sorry."

"About what?" I leaned down and kissed her head.

She moaned.

"Tabby, tell me."

"I don't want you to be my mommy because daddies leave mommies."

"What?"

Nodding, she explained. "Luther's mommy got left by his daddy. Mr. Trent left Mrs. Mary like a bazillion times. I don't want Daddy to leave you."

"So you don't hate me?"

She nodded. "You're still mean to me."

I kissed her head again. "You know what, Tabby?"

"What?"

"Daddy is never going to leave me. Don't you know that we love each other? And what about Cameron and Damien? They're a mommy and daddy now. They still love each other."

"I guess."

"And you know what else?"

"What?"

I leaned down, whispering in her ear. "We're the only girls in the house, right?"

"'cept for Snickers."

"Yeah but, really, it's just you and me. That's not fair," I told her. "We've got too many boys in the house."

She giggled. "Yeah."

"So, every Saturday, from now on, we're going to do something."

"Like what?"

"Shopping, go out to eat, see a movie," I shrugged. "Anything you want."

"And none of the boys?"

"Of course not."

She giggled again, hugging me. "I guess you can be my mommy."

I didn't have time to say anything because the bedroom door opened.

"Max," Fang said. "You're Mom is here. With some of her family."

* * *

"Get up."

Cameron just groaned. "I don't wanna."

"Please? I need to give you my gift so that we can get ready to go over to my parents."

"I don't want-"

"You promised."

"Damien-"

"Fine, stay in bed and be a big-"

"I was going to tell you that I wanted to shower before we left."

He blushed. "Oh. Sorry."

She got up, sighing. "Where's my gift?"

"I thought you wanted to shower first?"

"I do, but," she stopped mid sentence. "What's that ring on your finger?"

"This?" He held up his hand. "Oh, nothing. Just my wedding ring."

She blushed, smiling bashfully. "Damien."

"I love you, Lois," he said, reaching into his pocket to pull out a box. He opened it before slipping the ring on her finger.

"Damien-"

"No, don't hug me."

'Why not?"

"Sammy just spit up on me a little."

"Ew, Damien!"

He just smiled at her. "Babies do that, Cameron. You just wipe it off and go on."

"Don't tell me about babies, Damien. I've taken care of Tommy his whole life."

He just smiled at her. "Go shower and get ready."

"Wait," she said. "Don't you want my gift to you?"

He perked up. "You got me a gift?"

"Of course. You're my husband, right?"

"Yeah," he said excitedly. "What is it?"

She ran a finger down her ring before going over to her dresser drawer. She pulled out something. "I just felt so bad about you not getting to go last y-"

"You got me tickets again?" He ran to her, lifting her into her arms. "Cammie!"

"Ew, you've got spit up all over you," she complained, but didn't fight his hold. Damien kissed the side of her head.

"I love you, Cameron. I love you so much."

She smiled. "I know. Now put me down. I need to shower."

He sat her down, but grabbed both her hands. "You've got your engagement ring, your Green Lantern ring, and now you have your wedding ring."

"You can't forget my cross," she reminded.

He kissed her head. "Yeah."

She reached up and twirled it in her hand. "You never did tell me who gave it to you."

Damien kissed her head. "Go get ready, Cammie."

She frowned, but listened to him.

* * *

"So, do you forgive me?"

I just looked at Mom. "Are you asking for my forgiveness?"

"Max."

I sighed, leaning back against the counter while looking into the living room. Mom had brought two of her sisters and their kids. Tyler wanted no part in this and was in his room with Alex. Tabitha was playing with the two girls while Lucas tried his hardest to entertain the three boys. They were all eight or nine and weren't that interested in him so he had turned his focus on Mom's sisters. He was pretending to be a pumpkin again, rolling around on the ground.

"What you said about Kevin was completely out of line."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"If you ever say something like that again-"

"I know. Trust me, I know."

I pushed away from the counter and went into the backyard. Fang was back there, hiding I think.

"What are you doing, Fang?"

"Hiding."

Told ya.

"From what?"

"Your mom."

I frowned, going over to him. "Why?"

He looked around before sighing. "You remember how you got mad at me for going over there?"

"Yeah."

"I kind of yelled at her over the phone after you walked away."

"What?"

"She said something bad about Kevin."

I rolled my eyes. "That didn't stop you from going over there. Why did you really yell at her?"

He glanced at my face. "I did it for you, Max. She made you upset. At first, I figured it was just your time of the month-"

"What?"

"-but then you were still upset days later. I just want you to be okay," he told me. "Your mom's good to me but, when it comes down to it, you're my wife, not her."

I stared at him for a second. Fang and my mother had been really close when I first came back. Then, Fang and I got serious and their relationship faded. They still cared about each other though, that much I knew. As weird as it was, my mother loved my husband more than me and I was okay with that. I don't need a mother, or at least not one around all the time. Fang does though.

"Mom's in the kitchen, cleaning up," I said. "Go in there and help her."

He kissed my cheek before walking off.

* * *

"Artemis?"

He groaned. "Early."

"No. It's late. Get up. Everyone else is."

Bone rolled onto his back. "No. Cell."

'What?"

He sighed. "Hand me my cell phone."

Victoria did so before sitting down next to him on the bed. "Who are you calling?"

"Max," he said, pressing one. Max was on his speed dial. She didn't pick up. "Fuck."

"I told you not to curse at my parents' house."

Bone got up and put on a shirt. "Snow?"

"Yeah, it's snowing."

"Camera?"

She got up and went out of the room. A minute later, he was fully dressed and she was back with a camera.

"What do you need it for?" Victoria asked. He kissed the top of her head.

"Photos."

"Art."

He just smiled, walking out of the room. He avoided her parents and sister, not wanting to talk. Once he was outside, he started taking pictures of all the snow. Max liked the cold. She hated the heat. Snow would make her happy. He took a few more before going back in, barely being able to wait until he could show the pictures to his sister.

* * *

Cameron sighed, sitting down on the couch. Damien was in the kitchen with his mother, fawning over the baby. She wanted no part in that. Samantha was just a baby. Nothing special. And she wasn't afraid to say that her baby wasn't special. If everyone in the world is special, then no one's really special, right?

She looked at the TV and saw that Dan was watching FOX News. She sighed. He was the same as Jack. Cameron had never really limited herself on political choices by declaring herself a certain party, but she also never found Beck all that truthful. Jack watched it religiously though and she had to admit, FOX fans were dedicated.

"Cameron," Damien said, walking into the room. "Samantha wants you."

No she didn't. Cameron spent as little time with the baby as she could get away with. She gave birth to it, and would shelter it until eighteen, but she still didn't love it. Still, in the spirit of Christmas, she took the baby from her husband, cradling it in her arms.

"Isn't she so cute, Luther?" Trinity said, walking into the room. Luther, who looked less than thrilled to be there, was on the loveseat, pouting.

"The cutest," he said dryly. Damien ignored him, walking out of the room. When he came back, he had James with him. Dan got up and went into the kitchen for something so Damien took his seat. When Damien's father got back, he almost yelled at his son for taking his seat, but the he realized his wife was still in the room. Grumbling, he walked out of the room, probably headed to his bedroom.

"Hi," James yelled at Cameron, upsetting the baby in her arms. When Samantha started whining, James got upset too. Damien sat him on the floor and took Sam from Cameron. James ran over to his father, wanting comfort. Groaning like it was taking the life out of him, Luther picked the baby up. After Trinity left the room, Damien glared at Luther.

"Dude, what's your problem? If you didn't want to be here so badly, you didn't have to."

"Shut up, alright? I'm done playing games with you, Damien."

Damien rolled his eyes. "You're a…"

"A what?"

"A jerk."

Cameron groaned. "Is that what you call everyone that's mean to you?"

Luther laughed at him. "You're such a little cunt, Damien. You're nothing, but a pussy. You let her fight all your battles for you, huh?"

Cameron got up. "Does he? Really? Then get up, fuck ass."

Luther looked at her. "What?"

She went over to him and took James, setting the baby on the ground, before looking at Luther. "Come on then. Who's the real fucking pussy? Get your ass up, Luther."

He looked at Damien before standing. She wasn't going to hit him, was she? Cameron pushed him.

"Look, jackass, I get it, you don't like Damien. Whatever, I really don't care about that. But if you think that you're going to come into his parents house, insult him, and then call him the cunt, you've got another thing coming. I will beat the shit out of you if you call him one more name, I swear to God."

Luther glared at her for a second before grabbing his jacket off the couch. "I don't have to take this."

With that, he left. Damien shook his head at Cameron.

"You cursed."

"Shut up," She said, sitting back down next to him. James crawled over to her and she picked him up.

In a softer voice than before, he said, "Hi."

"Hi," Cameron told him back, making him giggle. James loved Cameron.

"Where's Luther?" Tammie asked, coming into the room. She had been in there the whole time and Damien didn't even want to think about her in there.

"He left," Cameron said. "Went into work, I think."

Damien frowned. He didn't like lying either. "We got into a fight."

"About?"

"He called me bad words."

"Did you call him a jerk back?"

Did he really use that insult that much? "Yes."

Tammie sighed. "Can you not get along with my boyfriend?"

"Thought you two broke up?" Cameron asked. Not that she cared, really. Only for James's sake.

"We got back together."

"High school much?"

"What did you just say?"

"I don't think I stuttered."

"You little-"

"Stop it," Damien said.

"I think you two should leave," Tammie said.

"Gladly," Cameron said, standing up.

"Wait a second," Damien said, going to put Sam in her carrier. "I need to tell Mom that we're leaving."

"Whatever," Cameron said, still glaring at Tammie. He knew the second that he left the room, they'd start fighting again but he wanted to tell his Mom bye and that he'd be back for dinner later that night.

His parents' bedroom door was open. Damien looked in there, freezing on the spot. His father was never a fan of showing affection, to anyone. From what Damien could get, he used to be, when he was with his bio mom, but then she messed him up. When he was five, he thought that his father love his biological mom more than Trinity and would take her back, if he still could. Then he realized he didn't love her, he hated her. Hated her. Which, according to Fang, means that you still love a person a little, but Damien didn't think so.

He never was able to understand his step mother and father's relationship and at times like this, he understood it even less.

In the middle of the room, Dan stood with his wife held tightly to his chest, his back to the doorway. They hadn't been fighting all morning, but they had been tense about something. Damien assumed it was Cameron. His father always got mad when she was around.

Damien stared at them for a minute, just watching. He jumped when Trinity spoke.

"What, Damien?"

Dan turned his head, his eyes boring into his son's.

"Uh, we're leaving and-"

"What?" Trinity pushed Dan away. "Why?"

"Cameron wants to go," Damien said. "I'll be back for dinner, I guess."

Trinity walked out of the room and he followed her.

"Bye, Samantha," Trinity crooned at the baby. Cameron shifted James to her hip.

"Let's go."

Tammie made no motion to stop them from taking her son, just stood there with her arms crossed.

"Alright," Damien said, picking up Samantha's carrier. "Bye, Mom. See you later."

"Okay, bye," his mother said, slightly mad that they were leaving.

"Bye!" James yelled over Cameron's shoulder as she walked out too.

"We're taking him home with us?" Damien asked as he put the baby in the car. Cameron put James in the car seat. Having to deal with Max's kids, Tommy when he was little, and now James too they always had a car seat or two in one of the cars.

"Yep," Cameron said, buckling him in. James didn't like this, but Cameron just shut the door. If they were in her SUV, she would have sat in back with him but not in Damien's truck.

"Why?" He asked, starting the car.

"I don't want him with that-"

"She's my sister, Cameron."

She just huffed, leaning back in her seat.

* * *

I was on the couch, sleeping, when I felt someone poke me.

"What?"

"Where is it?"

I opened my eyes. It was Tyler. "Where's what?"

"My real gift."

Mom and her 'family' had finally left and I planned on sleeping the rest of this fucking holiday, all the way up into New Years. Could I sleep for six days straight? Not sure, but I can try.

"What?"

Alex nodded. "You didn't give it to him."

"What gift?"

Tyler huffed. "My basketball goal."

I frowned. "Tyler, go away."

"Max, Santa said he'd bring it!"

"What? Santa's fake."

He frowned. "No! You're fake."

Yeah, because that made sense. "Go away, Tyler. I'm sleeping."

He reached up and patted my stomach. "Sleep, Max. I'll go find my present, it's okay."

I rolled onto my side so that I was facing the couch and not him. "Yeah, go find it on your own."

He and Alex went off, in search of his gift. I sighed. Fang and I were talking last night about them still spending the night with each other. I think it's fine, and so does Fang, but Mom said something a few weeks ago. Alex doesn't even know what a dick is, so I doubt we have a problem.

"Hey, Max."

God, can they not leave me alone?

"I'm sleeping, Gasman."

He sighed. "I was just asking what's for dinner."

"You either eat whatever Fang brings home or go over to Mom's. Your choice."

"I'll take whatever Fang brings."

"Good choice."

* * *

"Dan?"

He opened his eyes a little. "Is he gone?"

"Damien? Yeah, he left a few minutes ago. I don't know why Cameron didn't come back with him for dinner."

Didn't matter why, he was just glad that she didn't. "Don't know. Probably had to take care of the baby."

Trinity changed before getting into bed with him. "You were in a bad mood today, of all days."

"What's so special about today? Just like all the other Christmases."

"No. This was our first one with our granddaughter."

He glanced at her. "You really think that I would be excited over that? Don't like that kid no more than I like its mother."

"That's Damien's daughter, Dan."

"No. He can play like it is for however long he wants. Cameron don't want nothing to do with him. She don't care about him."

"That's not true and you know it."

He closed his eyes again. "We shouldn't bother into their lives, anyhow. They're married and that's all that matters, long as they don't turn out like Tammie and that boy."

"Justin?"

"No. Luther."

Trinity sighed. "Luther's just confused."

"Don't know why you like him so much. Just a bum to me. Living off his daddy's money. He ain't ever worked a day in his life."

"His mother died and-"

"Don't make excuses for him. He's more of a boy than Damien is."

"They are both well balanced _men_. I don't know why you can't accept that."

"Neither of them are men, Trinity. They're babies and you make them that way."

"I do not."

"Then why do you make breakfast for the man that cheated on your daughter? When he calls and says his stomach's upset, you're over there making him soup. He can't stay in his own house because he's not man enough to face his girlfriend, he comes to stay with us," Dan complained. "And that's just Luther."

"Oh, like you don't baby them too."

"I do not such-"

"Yes you do. If they ever need money, you're right there. When Damien was holed up in that apartment, you paid for his rent and food."

"That's called taking care of my son when he's down. I just did it because that girl wasn't around."

Trinity reached out and ran a hand down his arm. "Just admit that you love them."

He opened his eyes again, just to look at her for a second. Then he closed them. "I have work in the morning, Trinity. Goodnight."

She put her back to him, but not because they were fighting. They never slept close to each other, not even when they first got married. That was fine with her, as Trinity was not one for affection either. Besides, she slept better on her side.

* * *

Best Christmas ever. Sure, Cameron cursed and Luther called him names, but Damien walked away with his first Christmas with his baby under his belt, Wrestlemania tickets, and Cameron had a new ring. Not only that, but she was being nice to him today. All was good.

"Tommy'll be here tomorrow," Cameron said, getting into bed. Peter got up from the foot of the bed and moved closer to her. Damien, who was on the floor playing with James, yawned.

"That's cool," he said. "Where am I putting James?"

"He can get in bed with us, I guess. I don't want him in the crib with Samantha."

"'Cause she's so small and he's so big."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"You're welcome, Sargent Sarcasm."

God he was annoying. Damien got into bed, laying James between them. The toddler moved closer to Peter, petting him. The cat didn't like this. He only like for Cameron to pet him.

"Leave the kitty alone," Damien said, pulling his nephew back to him. "Not all kitties are nice, you know."

James giggled, laying his head down on Damien's pillow. "Ni-ni?"

"Yep."

In a few minutes, James was asleep. Cameron was the first to speak. "I don't get the point of going over to your mother's this morning."

He sighed. "We got to watch James open his presents and eat breakfast."

"So?"

"Cameron, that's what a family does. They just spend enough time with each other to not kill each other."

"Well, my family was never like that."

He wanted to tell her that her family was weird, but that would just start another fight, and he didn't want that. "All families are different."

"Yours especially."

Why was she always so mean to him? Damien closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Cameron. Merry Christmas."

"You've told me that a million times already."

He smiled. "It's just that this was our first Christmas together. I mean, really together. I wanted to be with you last year and it wasn't either of our faults but-"

"Shut up, Damien," she said, rolling over so that her back was to him. "Just shut up and go to sleep."

"I love you, Cameron."

She didn't say it back. She wouldn't say it back, not tonight. But Damien didn't care. It wasn't saying it that made it true, it was feeling it. He was feeling it and he knew she was too.

* * *

"Merry Christmas," Fang whispered. It was nighttime now and we were back on the porch again.

"Are we giving presents now?" I asked.

"We could."

"Give me mine first," I told him.

Fang sighed. "Of course."

"Well?"

He reached into his pocket. "Don't get excited. It's just keys."

I frowned, taking them from him. "Keys to what?"

"Our new car."

"What?"

"Not new, used, but it's trash-"

"Fang!" I hugged him.

"What? You've been complaining about not having one for, like, a year," he said, giving me a kiss on the head. "You're my baby, I have to take care of you."

I leaned against him. "My gift is nowhere as great as this."

"What is it?"

"Just some of those comic thingies that you like."

He laughed, smiling against my forehead. "I love you."

"Can I go see my car?"

"It's parked over at Luther's. I'll get it for you tomorrow."

"What? Fang."

He sighed. "Go out front."

"Why?"

"I called Luther twenty minutes ago. He should be out there with it now."

I kissed him. "God, I love you."

* * *

"Now?"

Tyler nodded, going to turn off his bedroom light. They were doing like Max and Dad tonight. Max and Fang had been waiting until late to give each other presents and Tyler decided that he and Alex would do the same. After all, they loved each other more than Max and Dad did.

"Give me my gift first," he said. He was greedy, so what?

"Okay," she said, getting out of bed. Alex went over to her bag and dug through it. "Here it is."

"You got me Spiderman!"

She nodded. "It's one that you don't have. I spent all the money Manny sent me on it."

He looked at her. "He sent you money?"

"Yeah. He sent it for my birthday, since he couldn't be here. He wanted me to spend it on a gift since he couldn't get me one. I wanted to buy you a Christmas present instead."

He smiled at her. "I love you."

"_Te __amos_."

Tyler frowned. "_Te __quiero_, Alex."

"No. Marcus said not to say that anymore."

"Why not?"

She frowned. "I told him that I tell you that because that's what Mamá and Papá say to each other."

"So?"

"I thought that since they say it, it meant that they love each other more. Marcus said that we should just say _te amos_."

Tyler didn't want to fight about it right now. "Whatever. You want your gift now?"

"Yes!"

"Alright then," he said, going to get it out of his closet. He pulled out a shopping back and then pulled out a plastic ring. "Look."

"Wow," she took it from him. "You got me a ring."

Tyler nodded, proud of himself. "Yep."

She giggled, putting it on. It was red and had a spider web design on it. "Spiderman?"

"Yep."

She giggled. "I love you, Tyler."

He got back into bed, taking his new Spiderman toy with him. He started to open it. "Yeah, I know. Come on, help me get Spiderman out."

She giggled, getting back into bed with him. Tyler went to be happy that night. Sure, he never found his basketball goal, but he had a new Spiderman and that was ten times better.


	12. Chapter 12

Living

Chapter 12

Told you. That's all I have to say.

Damien gave her the ring when, again? Christmas? Oh, funny. What did Fang do a few years back? What's that? Yeah, gave me my ring. God. It's sickening.

So, anyways, Tyler never found his stupid basketball goal because we kept it over at Luther's. Today, two days since Christmas, Fang gave it to him. Which, of course, caused tension with Tabitha, who did not get another gift. She had now called all out war on her father, leaving me as her favorite. Funny how these things work out, huh?

Tabitha was also mad that Tommy wasn't there. He came the day after Christmas but had to go back home today because his mother was taking him somewhere. Sure, he had gotten her a gift but she didn't seem to care about it at the moment.

Right now, the boys were supposed to be putting up Tyler's basketball goal. But once they had gotten it up, Fang said he needed to get the net ready by putting the ball through a few times. That turned into a 2-on-2 game with Damien and Fang against Bone and Luther. Tyler was left standing in the dust, much to the pleasure of his twin.

"It's mine!" Tyler yelled at them as they kept playing. This was Damien's first day out of the house without fighting with Cameron or having work. At first, he was complaining about being away from Samantha but now, he sure wasn't whining.

"Shhh, Tyler," Tabitha said, smiling. "They're playing."

"No, it's mine," he complained. He was already in a bad mood because he hadn't seen Alex since Christmas, and his father was not helping any. "Max-"

"Baby, I can't stop them."

"Yes you can."

Okay, so I could. I just didn't' want to. I was finally able to just sit in a chair, outside, without having to worry about the kids because someone else was here watching them too. I was in heaven. If Tyler made them stop, my husband would go up to his attic and the other three would leave. Then I'd have to watch him play alone. That would be so boring.

"Tyler-"

"Please, Mama? I thought you loved me."

I sighed, getting up from my chair. I would give up my lounging to prove that I loved him. Besides, I wanted a soda and we're out. Fang said after this game, he'd go to the store.

"Fang," I went over to the side of the patio. We two patios in our backyard. There was one that ran alongside the back of the house and then, in the middle of the huge yard, there was another, as if someone else had had a basketball goal too and just gotten rid of it.

Fang ignored me.

"Fang!"

Still, nothing. Ugh, boys. I walked out onto the court.

"Max, move," Luther complained.

"No. Give me the ball."

"Like Luther has any," Bone said, just standing there. He wasn't much of a basketball player. Honestly, Bone wasn't much of anything. If something required him to sweat and it wasn't sex, Bone didn't do it.

"Give it," I repeated.

"Maxie, go-"

"No, Fang. You told Tyler that he could play with it. You boys go do something else."

"He can play with us," Damien offered. "Come here, Tyler."

"I don't want to play with him," Luther continued to complain.

"Then don't," Damien said. I think that they're fighting or something. Again, boys.

Luther had a glaring match with him before walking off back into the house, presumably to leave through the front door. He better. I am so done with freaking people being in my house. Nudge and Drake were gone now, along with Gasman and Iggy. I had no plans to have anyone around the house for a long time.

Bone walked over to me and kissed my head. "Go."

"Me?"

"No. Me."

"Where?"

"Date," he said, giving me a smile when he saw my expression. "Love her."

"I know."

He kissed me once more before leaving through the gate. Fang sighed.

"I guess I should go get your sodas now that you've ruined my game."

"Go shower first," I told him. "You stink."

He shook his head before going inside. Tyler stomped his foot.

"They all left! I don't want to play alone, Max."

"It's okay," Damien told him, though the complaint had been directed at me. I knew Damien was good for something. "Me and you'll play."

"Wha' 'bout me?" Lucas got out of the mud puddle he had created with Tanks spilt water dish and came over to us.

"Lucas!" God. "You're all dirt."

He giggled. "I mud mons'er. Rawr!"

Damien smiled. "I'll wash him off with the hose before we go in."

"Thanks-"

His cell phone going off made me stop. Damien groaned, walking a little ways away from me. "Hello? Yeah, hey Cammie. What? Have you tried feeding her? Cameron, I did not call you stupid. No, I didn't. What would I do if I did come home? Cameron- Fine. Fine. Whatever. Even though you lied to me. Yes you did! You said that I could have the afternoon- You're the one that's keeping yourself locked in that house, not me. Cameron- Whatever."

Damien hung up before looking at us. "Sorry, Ty, but I have to get home. Samantha needs me."

Tyler looked so upset as Damien left. "Now what, Max?"

I mentally groaned. "I guess that I'll play with y-"

"Ya! Max, I love you."

"Yeah, yeah."

Now that the prospect of playing with Damien was gone, Lucas went back to his mud puddle, giggling as Tank rolled around with him in it. I almost stopped him but decided not to. Besides, I had basketball to worry about.

* * *

"There," Damien said, laying the baby back down. "She just wanted attention, Cam."

She rolled her eyes, walking out of the room. He stared at the baby for a minute before following Cameron. He went downstairs and laid on the couch. Cameron was in the kitchen.

"What are you doing, Cammie?"

"Look for something you make for dinner."

"I'll go get something," he offered. Cameron considered this before going back into the living room. She laid down on his chest, sighing. Whenever Max laid on Fang, or even Tammie, who was way heavier, laid on Luther, the guys didn't seen to feel it at all. Damien felt it. He shifted a little before giving up. They used to lay like this but hadn't in awhile.

"Damien?"

He kissed her head. "What?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"For?"

"Making you come home."

He shook his head. "No."

"Sure?"

Again, he kissed her, instead on her lips this time. That's when Cameron took the initiative to start something. She moved on him so that she could reach down between the two of them. When she got to his most sensitive part, Cameron rubbed, Damien turned his head away from her.

"Cameron."

"What?"

"You just had the baby. We can't."

She frowned at him. "We're not."

"Then what are do- Stop."

She laughed at his expression, not stopping her hand motions. "Damien, we're not going to have sex. I was just going to give you a handjob."

"A what?"

"Damien."

He still frowned. Cameron leaned up and whispered something in his ear.

"Ew," He moved away from her, trying to get away from her hand. "No, Cameron."

"Damien-"

"That doesn't sound very Christian like."

She groaned. "Damien, we're married. We can have sex."

"What you just told me is not sex."

"Come on," she continued. "Fang's Christian and Max blows him."

"What?"

"Oral sex, stupid."

He frowned even more, looking down at himself. "What they do is their business, Cameron. I can tell you what we're not going to do though and that's one of them."

"Damien-"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I knew that nasty people like Luther did that but we're not-"

"We're married, Damien. We can have sex."

"That's not sex!"

"Where are you going?" She asked as he started up the stairs.

"To take a shower and get ready for work," he said. Cameron sighed, laying back down. Damien was such a baby…

* * *

The rest of the week just crawled by. I couldn't wait for the new year and school to start again. I love my kids, I really do, but sometimes they get annoying. Forget sometimes, try all the time.

"Eve!" Lucas squealed. Fang picked him up and put him into bed with us.

"What?"

"Eve!"

"New Years Eve?" Fang asked, making Lucas giggled.

"Yes!"

I opened my eyes, smiling at him. "Lucas, it's early. Go away."

"He can stay," Fang said, laying him down in between us. "Are you happy, baby?"

Lucas nodded. "But I no baby, Daddy. I big boy!"

Fang smiled, kissing his head. "Yep."

Yawning, I got out of bed. This finally took away Fang's smile.

"Max, if we're bothering you, we can go-"

"No. I need to get ready anyways. I'm going out with Cameron today."

"Really?"

"Yep."

He pulled Lucas closer to him. "Where are you going?"

"Just out to eat," I said, going to the closet. "You know, tomorrow, I've got to take Tabitha out to."

He gave Lucas a kiss, just to make the baby giggle. "Whatever makes you two happy, Max. I don't liked her mad at you."

"She's not mad at me, right now, she's mad at you."

Fang gave me a smile. "I buy her stuff all the time. So what if Tyler got something for once? It's not like the basketball goal is only his."

"Oh, she knows," I said, walking to the bathroom. Fang frowned again.

"What does that mean?"

"All the little boys in the neighborhood want to come over here."

"What?"

I nodded. "The only other goal for two blocks is old and has ho net. Tabitha's very popular now."

Scowling, Fang said, "I was wrong. It is just Tyler's."

"Fang, that won't stop them from coming over here."

"Yes it will. Tyler hates everyone except for Alex."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, by the way, Mom is really starting to get annoying about the Tyler and Alex spending the night together. I think I can hold her off on that but she really wants Tommy and Tabitha to stop."

"That's fine. Alex and Tyler stay though."

I closed the bathroom door. "Speaking of them, go wake the twins up and Cody."

"You boss me around like I'm your servant."

"You're not?"

* * *

"I don't know," Cameron said, taking a bite of her salad. She gained, like, ten pounds with the baby and now she thought she was fat. Whatever. "He just flipped out."

"And you offered to blow him?"

"No. I was just going to jack him. He's such a baby."

I shrugged. "Not all guys are into that stuff."

"Oh, yeah right."

I sighed. "Has he ever let you…touch him before?"

"Yes, Max," she said. "Only when we're about to have sex. I think he doesn't like the idea of finishing in my hand."

Again, all I could do is shrug. "You knew that Damien was special."

"I don't think anywhere in the bible it says you can't cum in your wife's hand."

I shook my head. "Isn't there something about not spilling your seed on the ground?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "You're talking about Onan? His sin was not listening to God and not knocking up his brother's wife. That's misunderstood all the time."

I don't know what knocking up your brother's wife has to do with God, but it makes me want to read the freaking bible. "Onan? That's a weird name."

"Max."

I laughed, eating a fry. What? Cameron's the one that's fat, right? "You sure do know a lot about the bible."

She glanced at me. "I guess."

"Damien says that you don't-"

"He talks about me behind my back? Screw that," she said. "Fine then. Damien wet the bed until he was nine."

"What? Cameron-"

"If he's going to say shit about me-"

"Cameron, what he said was that you don't go to church with him. There's nothing wrong with that."

She looked back down at her salad. "I just don't like him telling my shit."

"Cameron, don't you think that maybe him wetting the bed that long meant something bad was going on? Maybe you should have said something else. That was deep. You not going to church is normal. Hell, I don't go."

She leaned back a little. "He was screwed up as a kid."

"You've met his dad. Give you one guess why he's the way he is."

Suddenly, she turned on me. "There is nothing wrong with him now. Just because he's not a manwhore liked Fang doesn't mean that-"

"I wasn't-"

"Damien is fine," she said, seeming to be attempting to convince herself rather than me. "He's just different."

I stared at her for a second. "How are things going with him and Samantha?"

"He loves her," she said, her tone becoming softer again.

"That's good."

"Yeah."

"Do you love her?"

She slowly looked up at me. "So what if I don't? There's no law that says you have to love your kid. Ask my mother. Ask my father."

I left her alone after that, instead changing the topic to Tommy and Tabitha. She agreed with Mom, for some reason. Now, if Tommy wanted to stay over, he had to sleep in Tyler's room. And we all know that that's not happening.

* * *

Tyler smiled as he opened the front door. "Hi, Alex. Hi, Manny."

Alex giggled. "You ready?"

Tyler nodded. "Dad! I'm leaving."

"Yeah, buddy, I know," Fang said from the couch. He was trying to watch a movie. "Have fun."

Tyler went out of the house. Lucas frowned. "Me go away?"

"Nope," Fang said. "You're staying home."

Lucas crawled into his father's lap. "I love you."

"Lucas, Daddy's watching a movie. I love you too but don't, alright?"

He cuddled against his father. He had only been three for little while but he knew what would get his father to pay attention to him. "I love Boon. Go see Boon?"

Fang turned off the movie, his jealousy not able to handle the words his son spoke. "Why do you like him? I'm better."

"No!"

Getting up, Fang took Lucas with him up to the attic. "Here. You can play with Daddy's toys. You like them, right?"

He wrapped his arms around Fang's neck. Now this is how you get your way. "Love Boon."

"What about my…comics? Daddy'll read you any of them you want."

Lucas thought this over. "X-man?"

"X-men? Yeah, of course," Fang said, going to set him down on the couch.

"Ya! X-man."

"You're loud," Fang said, going to get a comic.

"Dad?" Tabitha came up the stairs. "Cody's crying."

Fang groaned. "Watch Lucas and make sure he doesn't get into anything."

Lucas stared at his sister as his father left. Then he got an idea. "Tab?"

"What?"

He jumped off the couch and ran over to her, his tongue hanging out. Tabitha ran away. "Ew! Do not lick me!"

"Love you, Tab!"

"Leave me alone!"

Lucas tripped and fell. Tabitha stopped. Lucas always fell and always got right back up. "Lucas?"

He started screaming.

"Dad!"

* * *

"You let my baby knock his teeth out?"

Fang glared at me. "It wasn't in the plan. The dentist looked at them and said it was fine. They were baby teeth."

"Where the hell were you while he was in pain, bleeding on the floor?"

"Max, stop. We already went over this."

I rolled away from him. I glanced at the clock. It was now 12:01. "New Years."

"What?"

"It's New Years. Not that that matters seeing as you-"

"Max, you've been hounding me for it all day. Just move the fuck on."

"Do not curse at me, Fang Shadows."

"Why don't you stop me?"

I laid there for a second. "Fine. If this is the year you want, if you've missed our fights, that's fine with me."

"Shut the hell up, bitch."

I rolled back over and hit him in the chest. "Call me a bitch again."

Fang got up. "That is the second time you've hit me today."

This was true. I hit him when he first told me he let my baby get hurt. I take no shame in it. If he was man, he's hit me back but he's a fucking child. "You deserved it."

"You are so lucky-"

"Hardly. Go ahead, Fang. Hit me. Please hit me. I would love for you to hit me."

"I'm not playing with you."

"Come on, Fang. Hit me, you little-"

"Shut up!" He turned back to look at me. "Just shut up. I was checking on Cody. He would have fallen either way. They were fucking baby teeth, Max. They will grow the hell back. So just shut up and leave me the hell alone."

"You're yelling-"

"Yeah, Max, I am. Go out and get wasted. Who gives a shit? Hopefully you'll drink too much and die."

He slammed the bedroom door behind him. I heard him go up to the attic. After I was sure he was up there, I got up and changed before leaving the house.

* * *

"Sister."

Victoria sighed. "Artemis-"

"Love."

"I know that you love her but-"

"If it was Carrie, would you have a problem with it?"

"Well, no-"

"Then you shouldn't this," he said. "She's my sister and I love her. You're not changing that."

Victoria sighed. "While I'm out of town, I miss you enough. Knowing that you have another woman in your apartment-"

"Sister. Not some woman. Sis-ter. And she's hurt. My nephew's hurt. Max is staying with me until Fang apologizes."

Right now, Max was sleeping in his bed with Killer.

Bone was calling Bubba Killer again because he had killed a rat that was in the apartment the other day. Bone was proud of him. Bubba actually hadn't meant to kill it. He wanted to play with it and bit it too hard. The dog just kept nudging the dead rodent with his nose, whining. The Nina came by and took it from him, getting rat blood everywhere. If it was just him, Bone wouldn't have cared but, because Lucas was around so much, he had to get rid of all the mice and rats. Now there were traps everywhere and Killer kept getting stuck in them. He decided that if he got caught in one more, he'd change his name back to Bubba.

"Art, that's not your problem."

"It is my problem. I love her."

"Artemis-"

"Not like I love you, Vickie. I want to kiss and hug you. I want to do that to Max too, just in different places. I want to kiss her head; I want to kiss your lips. I want to hold her when she cried; I want to hold you always."

Victoria was silent for a second. "Fine, she can stay. I love you."

"Love you too."

'Bye," she said, hanging up. Bone smiled to himself. Getting out of things was easy. Say something sweet and all is fixed. He didn't get why everyone else had so much trouble being with people.

* * *

When I woke up, it was noon. I cuddled deeper into Bone's bed.

"Sleep well?"

I closed my eyes. "Go away. I left to get away from you, creep."

"Oh, I'm the creep. Yeah, alright."

"Fang-"

"Max, I didn't hit you."

I frowned. "I never said that you did, stupid."

"I know but you act like I did. So what if sometimes I yell? You were provoking me. I love Lucas. I didn't want him to fall."

I was silent for a second. "Go away, Fang. I'm sleeping."

"No. You're coming home with me."

"N-"

"Yes, you are."

"Bone!"

"He's at work," Fang said, going over to the side of the bed. "Now get up."

"No."

"Max-"

"Fang, I don't want to be at home right now."

He sighed. "Well, you have a three year old that wants his mommy."

"You left the kids alone?"

"Goddamn, Max! Why do you act like I'm so freaking irresponsible? I'm not. Your mother is there."

Great… "Why should I go home with you? Besides the kids."

He sat down on the bed. "Why are you so mad? Huh?"

"I don't know. I just am."

"Come home, baby. I couldn't sleep last night, without you."

I got up. "Bone says I shouldn't go home until you apologize."

"I'm sorry."

I sighed, looking around. "Would you ever hit me? Even if I kept tell you to?"

"No."

"Even if I was hitting you?'

"Max, you hit me all the time. There was that one time that you kneed me in the-"

"That was an accident."

"Oh yeah, because you falling over laughing showed your concern."

"You sure liked the attention I was giving your area afterwards."

"…Yeah."

He's definitely not Damien.

* * *

I was cradling Lucas in my arms, telling him that I was sorry that I wasn't there when he woke up, when Tabitha walked in.

"I'm ready," she announced to me.

"For?"

Tabitha frowned before running off. I groaned, carrying Lucas with me out of his bedroom. "Tabitha, what are you-"

"You said that you'd take me somewhere and you're playing with Lucas!"

Didn't I take her somewhere last Saturday? Oh yeah, weekly thing. Great… "I was going to take you to dinner tonight, silly. Stop getting so upset, okay? We were going to see a movie and then to eat."

"Really?"

"Yes."

As I have said before, Tabitha is smarter than her brothers. She knows things that the boys would just ignore. She seemed to know my thoughts. Not in the creepy Angel was but in the smart kid way. "What movie?"

She had learned from the best but, as the teacher, I will never let her out do me. "I was going to let you pick."

"What time are we leaving?"

"Depends on what movie you want and what time it starts."

Tabitha wasn't buying it but she had no way to prove me wrong. "Fine. We can do that."

"Alright then."

Lucas patted my head as Tabitha left the hallway. "I lose me teeth!"

"Shhh," I said, running a hand down his back. "Don't go around advertising that."

He just kept smiling, a gapping whole reminding me that my husband is an idiot. But I love him.

* * *

"You off today?"

"Yeah," Damien said, setting Cameron's lunch down in front of her. "Here, eat."

"What about you?"

He shrugged. "Not hungry. I'll be upstairs."

"Thanks," she mumbled. Damien heard her and it made him smile. Cameron was rare to thank him. That was just her way. It didn't stop him from doing good things for her. He loved her.

"You're welcome, Cammie."

She blushed, staring down at her food. Damien went upstairs to check on his baby. She was sleeping. Damien gently lifted her out of the crib and took her with him to the bedroom. Laying her down on the bed, he whispered that he loved her as he lay next to her.

Her pacifier fell out. Damien picked it up, about to put it back in her mouth when he stopped. He didn't want to wake her. Sighing, he put it on the nightstand.

"You sleep a lot," he whispered in her ear. She made a noise and he shut up. He didn't mind being quiet. He just wanted to be close to her. He loved Samantha. He loved her before she was even born and he wanted to make sure she knew that. Cameron wasn't bonding very well with the new born and Damien was trying to fill in for her until she was ready to love Samantha.

"Why is she in here?"

He glanced at the doorway. "What are you doing? I thought you were eating?"

"I finished," she said. "Why is the baby in here?"

"She's sleeping and wanted to be near me."

"And she told you this?"

"Well, no-"

"Then I guess you wouldn't know that, would you?"

He frowned. "Cameron, I just wanted to be near her."

She shook her head before walking back out of the room. It didn't make sense for Cameron to dislike Samantha so much. If she really hated the baby, she would have gotten rid of it instead of having it.

"It's okay," he whispered to the sleepy baby. "Mommy loves you. She just doesn't want to admit it."

* * *

"So his teeth are just gone?" Alex asked. They were spending tonight with us.

"Yes," I said, putting on my shoes. "You ready, Tabby?"

"Yeah," she said.

Tyler crossed his arms. "Max, you used to love me, not her."

"Then you got Alex."

Alex made a shocked face. "You gave up Max for me?"

Tyler looked at the ceiling. "No, Alex. I love you both. I would give up Tabitha for you."

"Hey!"

I groaned, taking Tabitha's hand. "Come, Tabitha. Just leave him alone."

"Bye-bye," Lucas called after me. He was playing with Play-doh at the coffee table.

"Yeah, bye," Fang said from the couch. "Cody says bye to, huh baby?"

Cody made a noise of annoyance. He wasn't very vocal. I was worried but his doctor said it was just his personality. Cody could talk, and he did talk, just not to me. He talked to Amber and James. That was about it.

"Can I ride in the front?"

"Nope. Not unless you want to be killed by the airbag."

"Maybe I do," she said.

"Then be my guest."

Tabitha got in the back.

* * *

"Bone has rats."

Tammie glanced at Luther. "You mean fleas?"

"What? No. Not on him. At his apartment," Luther clarified. "Besides, he grooms himself so that Max doesn't complain. He probably even showers weekly now that Victoria is around."

Tammie rolled her eyes, rolling onto her side. "He should tell his super about the rats."

"Nah, you know Bone. He likes to catch them and set them free," Luther said. "Besides, they probably worship him."

'Yeah. Bone, king of the rats."

Luther closed his eyes. "I'm going to take James and Cody to the zoo tomorrow."

"Really? You never mentioned it."

"I just decided right now."

"What about Lucas?"

Luther shrugged. "I don't want to deal with him."

"Luther-"

"I just mean that Max will probably be a bitch about me taking him somewhere."

"Why?"

"You didn't hear? He knocked out his two front teeth."

Tammie frowned. "Poor baby."

"His own fault. He was trying to lick my baby."

"James was there?"

"No, Tabitha."

Tammie shook her head. "Goodnight, Luther."

He smiled a little. "I love you."

"No, you don't."

"Yeah, I do," he said, pulling the blanket up around himself more. "You don't even realize how much love I have for you."

"You can't realize something that isn't real."

"You keep thinking that, baby girl. You're mine, Tamisha."

"Don't call me that. God, I hate my name."

"I think it's beautiful."

"Of course you do," she said, making a face at him. "I'm glad we didn't do that to James."

"Do what?"

"Give him the same letter as our name."

"Huh?"

"Trinity, Tamisha. Dan, Damien."

"Damien's mother named him," Luther said. "You know why."

"Yeah, but still. To someone that didn't, it'd look like Dan did that on purpose."

"Anyone who knows Dan would tell you otherwise," Luther said. "See you in the morning, Tammie."

"Yeah, goodnight."


	13. Chapter 13

Living

Chapter 13

**February**

"Shhh," Cameron soothed, setting the baby back in her carrier. "God, she's annoying."

I shrugged. "'least she doesn't talk. That makes them more annoying."

Alex looked at the baby. "Why does she have to stay in there?"

"So that she can sleep," I told her. "Where's Tyler?"

She pointed over to where the boys were playing basketball. Again. Tyler was watching with hope in his eyes. Luther told him that if any of them suddenly died or broke all their bones, Tyler could play. As if Tyler needed anymore reasons for them to be killed.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Tyler's stupid."

Alex frowned. "You're stupid."

She had suddenly become protective over Tyler. It started after he got into a fight at school, with, like, a fourth grader. What fucking fourth grader fights a defenseless first grader? Okay, so Tyler probably deserved it but still.

"No, you're-"

"Stop," I said, not wanting to hear them. Tabitha scowled at me before going back to color with chalk on the patio. Tommy was next to her, reading those comic thingy that Damien buys him.

Alex walked away, going back over to her not boyfriend. She pushed Tyler, trying to get him to pay attention to her. Tyler pushed her back. Alex them pushed him, harder this time. They started a shoving war. Then Alex fell and Tyler felt bad. He helped her up, even giving her a hug. Then he told her to go away, that he was waiting for one of them to die, and she could jinx her.

"I'm thinking about going back to work," Cameron said.

"To your old job?"

"I highly doubt that I could get my job back, or even another job."

"Where are you thinking about?"

"I don't know."

Samantha started make noises, causing us both to look at her. Fang was coming over. I don't know why, but she does not like Fang, at all. I guess maybe it can be the way he looks, or the way his voice sounds. I don't know.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he came to give me a kiss.

"Letting Tyler play."

"Luther's going to get mad at you."

Fang shrugged. "So what?"

Since that year that Luther left us for a few months, none of the guys were as devoted to him as before. Bone never really was, but Fang and Damien were obsessed with him. Now, Damien and him can't stand each other and Fang's kind of whatever about him. In a way, it's sad to see him left standing there, no long the leader of anything. It's also good though. Damien's finally making his own decisions, for the most part, and so is Fang. Not that Luther ever really decided anything for Fang. Only the not important stuff. I decided all the rest.

Tank walked over, causing Fang picked Samantha up, not wanting her on the ground with him around. The baby didn't like this. She started crying. Cody, who was sleeping on the ground, curled against Snickers, made a noise of displeasure.

"Shhh!" He yelled, only upsetting her further. Fang gave Cameron her daughter. Tank didn't like her noises either. He ran back to his doghouse and hid. Damien was over there in seconds.

"You can play, Fang," he said, taking the baby from Cameron. "I don't want to."

Fang shrugged before going back to play with them. That made Tyler happy. He has said since he could form sentences that he hates Fang but he really loves him more than anyone. Except me, of course. And maybe Alex. Depends on the day, really.

Damien sat down in the chair next to Cameron. "Did the puppy scare you, Sammy? Huh?"

"Shut up, Damien," Cameron told him. "It can't understand you."

"Yes she can," Damien defended. "Huh, Sam?"

The soon to be two month old calmed down. Gave her a kiss before getting up and putting her back down in her carrier.

Tommy looked at Tabitha. "What if I got another girlfriend?"

It was such a random thing that I don't think even Tabitha understood him for a second.

"What?"

He just blinked. "I'm getting another girlfriend."

Tabitha cocked her head to the side for a second before going back to drawing. "No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. My daddy said that I can have as many as I want."

"No," Tabitha said. "I meant you won't have another one. If you get another, you'll lose me and then it'll just be her."

Tommy shut up after that. Tabitha likes to think that she's not my daughter, but I would disagree if asked.

* * *

"I'm back!"

Great…

Lucas marched over to the couch and got onto it. He had spent the night with Mom last night.

"Thanks, Mom," I said, starting to close the door. I forgave her but I haven't let the fact she kept me hidden forever leave my mind either.

"Yeah, bye," she said quickly, before I closed the door in her face. Lucas cuddled against Fang.

"Miss me?"

"Of course," Fang said, pulling him into his lap. Luther had to get back to work and made Bone go with him, so the party kind of just stopped. Cameron and Damien left without being in a fight for once, so that was good. Tabitha didn't beg for Tommy to stay longer either, probably due to his previous comment.

Cody, who was laying on the floor, sat up. "Jims?"

That was his name for James. I went over to him and picked him up. "You miss James? Huh?"

"Jims!"

I bounced him a little. I was happy he was just talking to me today. "Is he your best friend?"

"Yes," Cody told me, looking around. "Bir?"

"Amber? She's not here either, silly. You still remember her? Huh?"

"Yes," he said, laying his head on my shoulder. "Miss."

"I know," I said, walking into the kitchen. Tyler and Alex were playing with Snickers.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked, going to set Cody on the counter. He wouldn't let go of me though, so I had to shift him to one arm and start dinner. There are days that he wants nothing to do with anyone, only to sleep. Then he has days like today, where all he wants is me to hold and coddle him.

"Playing," Alex told me.

"What's for dinner?" Tyler asked.

"Macaroni and cheese and hotdogs."

He made a face. "Can't Dad make dinner?"

"Shut up, Tyler," I said as Cody started humming Mary had a Little Lamb in my ear. "Are you happy today, Cody?"

"No. Miss Jims. Miss Bir."

"I know," I said, bouncing him a little. "It's okay though. You'll see them again soon."

He just moaned.

"I love you, Cody," I told him. "Did you know that? Huh?"

He didn't say anything else to me. I guess he was done talking for the day. I kept talking to him though; even when Tyler told me it was stupid to do that. It's like when Damien was talking to Samantha. You don't do it because you want them to talk back. You don't even care if they understand or listen to you. You just talk to them so that they know you're there and that you care, even when they don't.

* * *

"Do you love Samantha?"

Cameron glanced at her nephew. "Do you love Tabitha?"

"Yes…kind of."

"Same."

He looked down at his Doraemon manga. "I think I should be able to have another girlfriend."

"You heard Tabitha. You do, and you'll lose her."

Tommy frowned. "Why does she care? She doesn't have to meet my new girlfriend."

"That's not the point, Tommy," Cameron said. "Besides, I thought that you didn't want her to cry."

"What?"

"Before, when you and your mother lived here, you said that your dad made your mom cry and you wouldn't do that to Tabitha."

She was making things all mixed up in his head. His aunt always did that to him. When he was talking to his dad, everything was so simple. Then he would relay the information to her and should would get it all jumbled in his mind. "Yeah but still."

"Still what? If you loved her, you wouldn't do it."

"Maybe I don't love her."

Cameron shrugged. "It's not like you bought her a ring or- Oh wait, you did."

"You're mean."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying, if you want another girlfriend, fine. It's not like we put a lot of stock in you two actually liking each other-"

"We do actually like each other!"

"Apparently not."

He made a face at his aunt. "You're a lot meaner to me than you were before."

"Before what?"

"You went away. I wish you'd go back."

She stared at him for a second before looking back at the TV.

"Aunt Cameron?"

"What?"

"You didn't say nothin' back."

"Why would I? That was rude and hurtful."

He got off the couch and went over to where she sat in the chair. Forcing his way into his lap like he was a two year old again, he said, "I'm sorry."

She kissed his head, going along with the tow year old persona. "I know."

"Do you forgive me?"

"Of course."

He laughed, leaning against her. "If I break up with Tabitha, will you be mad at me?"

"No."

"Can I still be friends with her?"

"That's not up for me to decide."

"Who gets to choose?"

"Tabitha."

"I like her," he said, frowning.

"Then why do you want to break up with her?"

"I like other girls too."

"Then, you should just break up with her."

"Really?"

"Yep. It's not fair to her. Besides, you're five-"

"Six!"

"Yeah, whatever. Anyways, you have a long time to be with her again."

"Will she get upset like last time?"

"Probably."

He cuddled against her more. "I don't want to make her upset."

"Then don't do it."

"But I want to."

"Tom, make up your mind."

He looked up at his aunt. "I'll do it tomorrow. After church."

She frowned. "You're going to church with Damien?"

'Yes. He said that I'd have fun."

She laid her head on top of his. "Yeah."

"Will you come?"

"I have to stay with Samantha."

"Oh," he said, not moving from his spot of her lap, though it was obvious the conversation was dead.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," he told her before adding, "and I don't want you to ever go away again."

"Me neither."

* * *

"So I did good?"

I smiled. "Yeah, Tabby, you did."

This morning, I had taken her out to eat breakfast, then we were outside as the guys played basketball, and we just finished a movie. I think that Tabitha and I have had a good day today. At the moment, we were upstairs, in her bed. I was lying on my back and was next to me.

"Good," she said. We were talking about what Tommy said about wanting another girlfriend. "He's a butthead."

I would normally correct her on name calling but I just laughed, looking over at her. "All guys are."

"Even Daddy?"

"Especially Daddy."

"Luther?"

"You already know the answer to that."

She giggled. "Bone? Tyler? Lucas?"

"Yes, yep, and almost, but not all the way there yet."

"What about Damien?"

"One exception."

"Then why didn't you marry him?" She asked.

"You know why."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do, Tabby," I told her. "Because I love Fang. You know that."

"You don't always marry the person you love."

'What?"

She nodded. "Don't sometimes you end up alone?"

'Who's alone?"

"Dr. Martinez."

"She is not. She was married."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but don't go around talking about it, okay?" Mostly, because even I didn't know a lot about it. Then again, I didn't even know that her family didn't even know me a few months ago, so whatever.

"Okay."

I smiled at her again. "I love you, Tabitha."

"I love you too," she said. "But someone is going to end up alone."

"Who?" I asked, frowning.

"Tyler."

I rolled my eyes before getting up. "Be nice to your brother."

"I am."

"I'll see you in the morning, okay?" I went to the door. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I went into Tyler's room. "What are you two doing?"

Tyler looked up at me. "Building a fort."

I frowned. "Why?"

"So that we can sleep in it," he said, as if I was the dense one. Yeah, alright.

"Just hurry up," I told them before leaving. When I got downstairs, Cody and Lucas were both asleep. Fang wasn't home tonight though, because he had the night shift at work. Since Cameron got taken, the boys rarely let me take that shift anymore. I would fight for it but that would mean I had to be up at that nasty store instead of at home asleep.

I got into bed and was surprised to find both the cats sleeping in bed. As soon as I laid down, Snickers jumped up and walked into my bathroom. Whatever. I don't like that cat anyways. Fox cuddled against me, meowing. I always knew I liked him.

* * *

Alex and Tyler were playing with his action figures when Tommy came over.

"He's here a lot," Alex said.

"So are you."

She just giggled.

"Don't leave, Damien," Tommy said. He nodded at his nephew, going into the house behind him.

"I have to go talk to Fang, anyways," Damien said. "Where is he, Max?"

"Up in the attic," she said before going back to the kitchen.

"Why didn't you want Damien to leave?" Tabitha asked her soon to be ex-boyfriend. "Aren't you staying?"

He shook his head.

"Why not?" She asked.

"'Cause you're gonna get mad at me."

"Did you steal something of mine again?"

"Nope."

"Did you…pull Tanks tail?"

"No."

"Did you-"

"You'll never guess it."

She didn't like to be told she'd never do something. "Yes, I will."

"Tabitha."

"Since you're gonna be annoying about it, fine, just tell me."

He looked at her for a second, not wanting to be close enough for her to hit him if she didn't like what he had to say. "Are you sure you want me to just say it? I could write it for you."

"Say it, Tommy."

"I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore."

She looked at him for a second. "So you want to be my husband?"

"No, not exactly."

"Then what?"

"I just don't want to be anything to you anymore."

Then, he realized he was too close. Just close enough for her to knee him in the crotch.

"Wow!" Tyler perked up, seeing this. Watching Tabitha getting broken up with was fun, but Tommy in pain brought the fun-o-meter up by a thousand.

While Tommy was on the ground, Tabitha added insult to injury by ripping her ring necklace from her neck and throwing it at him. "I hope you die!"

"Tabitha!" Max came back into the room. "What did you do?"

* * *

"She hurt me!"

Cameron sighed. "I know."

"No, you don't. She hurt me!"

"Tommy-"

"No, you're not getting-"

"Yes, I did. You hurt her, she hurt you."

"Yeah but I hurt a lot worse!"

"That's a matter of opinion."

"Did you hear where she hurt me?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "It's your own fault."

"You told me to do it."

"Yeah, well."

"Well? That's all you can say?" He looked at his aunt in disbelief. "I should have just listened to Dad and not broken up with her, just got another girlfriend. But no, I listen to you and get hurt. Horribly hurt."

"Shush," Cameron said as there was a knock on the door. "Your mom's here. Go get the door."

He walked a little funny from his injury but got to the door quickly. "Mom, Aunt Cameron let Tabitha hit me the bad place."

"What?"

Tommy nodded, looking up at his mother. "I got a bruise, I think. I need 'mergency attention!"

"No, you don't," Cameron said, rolling her eyes. "I thought that you wanted to play football?"

"I'll have a cup then."

"Do you even know what that is?"

"Nope but it'll help, unlike you."

"Why did she hurt you?" Mary asked.

"Because I broke up with her."

"What? I thought you were married?"

He gaped at his mother. "We were not! Not for a long time. We broke up and got back together but she wouldn't marry me again."

Mary shook her head. "Just go get your stuff so that we can go. You have school tomorrow."

"I have to go to school?"

"Yes."

"Mom, I am injured."

"Thomas, not now, alright?"

He ran upstairs to get his bag.

"Was he good?" Mary asked.

"Besides breaking up with Tabitha, yes."

Mary rolled her eyes. "How's the baby?"

Cameron shrugged. "Fine, I guess. You didn't want to see her, did you?"

"No."

"Good."

* * *

"So? He hurt me too!"

I looked at Fang before back at Tabitha. "I know, but, if Fang broke up with me, I couldn't just stab him."

"You should," she said and then frowned. "Are you getting a-"

"No."

Fang rolled his eyes. "That hurts, for a guy. What if I…cut off your right hand?"

"Fang!"

"What?"

"It is not that bad."

"How would you know?"

"I just do."

"Max, it hurts."

'Yeah but losing your right hand-"

"Is an understatement."

"I doubt it."

"I don't."

Tabitha got bored with the discussion. "Am I grounded?"

"No, not this time. Next time, yes," I told her, standing. "Now, I have to go make dinner-"

"No, Dad. I'll never ever do it again," Tabitha promised. "Don't make us eat that again. Please? Can't you make something?"

I frowned as Fang led me out of the room, calling over his shoulder that he would just order pizza.

"I have gotten better at cooking," I complained.

"Yep. The hotdogs are only charred a little."

"Shut up," I said, hitting his arm.

"See? That's where she gets it from," Fang said.

"Oh, whatever," I said, starting down the stairs. "Tommy so deserved that."

"He did not. Now we don't have to worry about him spending the night."

"Yeah, but she's hurt."

"She's not crying like last time."

"She's getting more mature," I said. "That doesn't mean that she's not hurt."

"Yeah, but he's hurting more."

"He is not."

"Max, you wouldn't know."

"Fang, I gave birth. Twenty times worse."

"It is not."

"Yes it is," I told him. "You wouldn't know, remember?"

"Max, at least with that, you get something good out of it. There is nothing good about getting hit down there."

"It's like a dog."

"Huh?"

'Yeah. When they do something bad, you spray them with a water bottle. In fact, that's what I'm going to do to you from now on."

"Oh, no you are not."

"Yes, I am," I told him, headed to our bedroom. "Here, do something bad."

"Why would I do something so stu- Max!"

"What?" I asked. "I didn't hit you in the jewels, just in your arm."

"But why?"

"For talking back."

"Max, I am not- Hey!"

That time I got him in the stomach. "Each time you mess up, I'll get closer and closer."

"I hate- Damn it!"

Well, I warned him.

* * *

"Fang-"

"No."

"I didn't-"

"No."

"It wasn't that hard-"

"No."

"Come on-"

"No."

I huffed, crossing my arms. "My mouth'll make it feel better."

"I'm afraid that if I moan, you'll think that I was talking back and you'll bite it off."

"That was low."

"Not as low as you hit."

"Fang, come on. When am I the one begging for sex?"

"All the time."

"Yeah, when we first got together. Now, it's always you."

"Max, you hit me-"

"I didn't hit you that hard."

"Says you!"

Sighing, I closed my eyes. "Well, I'm not losing any sleep over it."

"What else is new?"

* * *

"She really got him."

Cameron laid Samantha back down in her crib. "I kind of feel bad."

"You should. You told him to do it."

"Thanks, Damien, you make me feel so much better about myself."

"I try."

She rolled her eyes, walking out of the room. Damien went over to the crib and said his prayers, making sure to include Tommy and his pain in them. Then he told the sleeping baby that he loved her before going out of the room. Cameron was in bed, Peter next to her.

"Don't turn on the TV," she said as Damien went to pick up the remote.

"Alright then," he said, going to change into his Superman pajamas.

When he laid down, Peter got up and moved even closer to Cameron, if that was even possible. Sometimes, they made him feel so unloved. Then he remembers he has Samantha and he feels better.

"Why no TV?"

"Because it keeps me up."

He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Night, Cammie."

She smiled at him. "Goodnight, omen."

They laid there for a minute before she spoke again. 'What are we doing for Valentines Day?"

"Sleeping."

"Damien."

He sighed. "I think that I work but we can go out to eat after, if you want."

"No, that's okay."

"No, really, we can."

"I don't want to."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Just checking."

He shook his head. "Whatever, Cameron."

She ran a hand down Peter's back. "Was church good?"

"Yes. You should come."

"Don't start with me."

"What? I was just-"

"Don't."

"Fine, then." He looked at his cat. "It's too bad you can't come to church, Peter."

"Damien-"

"What? I'm taking to the cat."

"Shut up and go to bed."

He leaned over and gave her a kiss again. "I love you."

"Shut up and leave me alone."

* * *

"He did what?" Luther was angry. "I'll do worse than that to him."

"Luther, they're six."

"So? He shouldn't have played with her like that," Luther said. "In the least, I'll beat the shit out of his father for raising him to-"

"-do what you do?"

"Exactly."

I rolled my eyes. "Go ahead. I won't stop you. I'm not that fond of Trent anyways."

Bone put his jacket around my shoulders before going off to do inventory. I laid my head on the counter and Luther left me alone about it.

"Did you notice that Bone didn't say anything?" I asked Luther.

He shrugged. "Maybe he doesn't care about baby love like we do."

"Guess so," I said, yawning. Lucas pulled on my pants leg. "What?"

"Can I go play wid Boon?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Ya!" He ran off. I had come to accept his missing teeth. They just make him look even cuter.

"Where's James?" I asked Luther. Cody was at home with Fang, still sleeping, probably.

"Home with his mom."

"You guys still good?"

"No, but when are we?"

We left it at that. I was asleep for a little while, but then Bone came back into the room, Lucas following right behind him.

"Mommy, get up! It's morning."

"Thank you, Lucas," I said sarcastically. As if I say anything in another way. "What would I do without you? You know, you should be a meteorologist. Not everyone can tell day from night like you."

My humor was lost on the toddler. "No, I'mma be a cat. Like Fox."

Great, we're raising another Tyler. As long as he doesn't start to think he can clone things, I think we're okay.

"That's great, baby."

"Rats," Bone said.

"Not in here, there better not be," I said while lifting my head up.

He shook his head. "I've got them again."

He had gotten rid of them for awhile, apparently.

"Tell your supervisor," I said.

"No. I kind of like them."

"My son is not going over there again until they're gone."

He frowned. "You're my younger sister, not older. You should do what I say, not the other way around."

"Yeah, I'll tell you when a man tells me what to do."

Luther snickered. "Fang texted me that you hit in him the balls."

"I did."

Bone shook his head. "What balls?"

"Trust me, he has some," I said. Lucas frowned.

"Basketballs?"

"Yep," I said as he came around the counter. I picked him up and sat him in my lap. "Big basketballs."

Bone said nothing and Luther snorted. So what if I lie about Fang's size sometimes? Making fun of him to his face and taking up for him behind his back is kind of my thing.

* * *

"Why does it hurt boys?" Alex asked Tyler.

They were supposed to be reading their library books but Alex didn't like hers. It was about some girl that solved mysteries and was way too hard. She got it to impress her teacher and it was working. In truth though, she couldn't stop laughing over her name. Nancy. That was a funny name all by itself but put with the last name Drew, it was even more funny. And then there was a girl named George. Books are funny without even reading them.

"I don't know," Tyler said. "It just does."

He was reading about a dog that could talk. That was so stupid. Everyone knew that dogs couldn't talk. Duh. Only if they were bit by a radioactive spider or something. And yes, he did connect everything back to Spiderman. So what?

"I wish I was a boy."

Tyler looked at his friend. "No. You would make an ugly boy."

"…Well, you'd make an ugly girl."

"Good. I don't want to be a girl."

Alex took offence. "Why not?"

"Because, Alex, then I wouldn't be me."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he said. "If you change, you're not you no more."

"I guess so."

'And," he continued. "Me being a girl would mean I would have to have a new name. I like my name. And girls pee a different way."

"Really?"

"Yep," he said before changing the subject. "Think that Tommy's still hurting?"

Alex giggled. "Probably."

'Good."


	14. Chapter 14

Living

Chapter 14

_I can't confront you__  
__I never could do__  
__That which might hurt you__  
__So try and be cool__  
__When I say__  
__This way is a waterslide away from me that takes you further every day (hey)__  
__So be cool_

"What is this again?"

Luther frowned at me. "Weezer."

"Right. Better than Bone's shit I guess."

"He always listens to this," Fang said, getting up from the stool. "Who's with the kids?"

"My mother."

"Alright," Fang said as I sat down in his seat. "You sure you want to stay tonight?"

"Yeah."

He glared at Luther, who was the reason I was working. "Fine. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks. And, take my car home, please."

"Why?"

"I'm out of gas."

"Max," he sighed, starting to the door. "Look, just be safe tonight."

"So running with scissors is off my list of things I can do?"

Fang shook his head, walking out of the door. Luther stayed for, like, another ten minutes before getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"Date."

"What?"

"Tammie and I are fighting, so I might as well get some from someone else."

"Luther."

He laughed. "Just don't tell your husband I left you alone."

"Are you coming back?"

"It's not in the plan."

Good. He turned off his music before leaving. Then I went to sleep. Around two in the morning, something woke me up. No way was it a customer. I opened my eyes a little.

"Bone?"

He kissed my head. "Left."

"What?"

"They fucking left you here all alone, at night."

"Shhh," I mumbled, closing my eyes again. "I'm sleeping."

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. "I'll kill both of them."

"Bone, stop."

"I am, Max. I told them not to do that," he said.

"You guys act like I can look out for myself."

"You can't!"

"Bone, stop."

He went and sat down next to me. "I'm going to kill them, I swear."

"Just let me sleep."

He kissed me again. "Fine. Night."

"Night."

"Love."

"I love you too."

* * *

"I have to go to school?"

"Yes, Tyler."

He frowned. "Dad, you do know that it's my birthday, right?"

"It's a school day, buddy."

"Yeah, but it's also my birthday."

"Happy birthday to me!"

Tyler frowned. "It's not your birthday, Lucas!"

"Happy birthday, dear Lucas, happy birthday to me!" He sat on the couch, singing while watching Tigger.

"Stop it!"

"Lucas, leave him alone," Fang said, sighing. "Tyler, go finish getting ready."

He stomped back up the stairs. Looking at his father, Lucas said, "Why I no go school?"

"Because you're a baby."

"I no baby!" He puffed out his chest. "I'mma big boy!"

Fang smiled at him. "Wanna come sit in my lap, big boy?"

"Yep," he said, jumping off the couch and running over to his daddy's chair. Once he was in his lap, Lucas said, "I love you."

Fang gave him a kiss. "I love you too."

"More than Mommy?"

"Yes," Fang said, holding his son to him. "Do you love me more than Mommy?"

Lucas giggled. "No."

"What?"

Patting his father's cheek in a comforting manner, Lucas said, "Mommy nice."

"I'm nice too."

"Not like Mommy."

Sighing, Fang laid his head on top of Lucas's. "I guess I love her more than you, too."

"No!" Lucas moved his head. "No."

"Then say that you love me the most."

"No liar."

Fang frowned. Why couldn't any of his kids just like him for once?

* * *

Cameron was just sitting there when he got home. It was around three in the afternoon and he was home from work.

"Cammie?"

She just kept sitting there.

"What's wrong?" He asked, going over to her.

"I-I'm not sure."

"What happened?" Damien looked around. "Where is the baby? Is she okay?"

"What? No," Cameron shook her head.

"Then what?"

"They gave him a plea deal."

"Who?"

"Tristan, dumbass."

"What are you-"

"He ratted on somebody or something," she said, looking away from him.

"What did he take?"

"Life without parole. Why would he do that?"

"To get out of death, Cameron."

"He wouldn't get death for-"

"They combined the cases, Cameron. You and all those women he murdered," Damien reminded. "There was no way he was getting off on that defense he had."

"Mental insanity? I think he was insane."

Damien kissed her head. Cameron put her hands on his chest, almost as if she were trying to keep him there. Then she pushed him.

"Cameron-"

"Shut up, Damien."

She got up and walked up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door when she got to it. Damien sighed, going to get Samantha as she began to cry.

* * *

"How was school?"

"Horrible. It's my birthday, Max."

"Thanks for reminding me, but Tyler, you know that we told you we'd throw you a part on Saturday."

"Still," he said, crossing his arms.

"How was your day, Tabby?"

"I don't know," she said, laying her head against the window. Lucas, who was in the middle seat, decided it was his turn.

"I had peanut butter san'ich, Tab," he told her. "No jelly. Out of jelly. It's okay. Daddy buys more jelly. Fed Tank some too. Not Snickers. She hissed. I hiss. You wanna hear?"

"No," she sighed.

He frowned. "Ty? You wanna hear?"

Tyler ignored his younger brother. "Max, I want cake."

"And you'll get it, on Saturday."

"No, I'm seven now."

"And you'll be even more seven on Saturday."

"You hate me, don't you?"

"No," I said. "I'm not particularly in love with you right now, but hate is a strong word."

"Well, I hate you."

"Good."

"You're mean."

"I try to be."

* * *

Cody patted Fang's face. "Up."

"Not now, Code."

"Yes," he whined. "'et up, Daddy."

"No," Fang said, keeping his eyes closed. "Where's your mom? Did she go to get the other kids?"

Cody curled against his father's side. For once, he was up and wasn't tired. "Pay?"

"What do you want to play?"

"Ball."

"Do we have to? I'm sleepy, Code."

Cody made a noise. Fine, then. If he didn't want to play with him, Cody just wouldn't talk to him anymore.

"Cody? Come on, Code."

He closed his eyes, going back to sleep. Fang sighed.

"Are you going to sleep? I thought that you wanted to play?"

Rolling onto his back, Fang sat Cody on top of his chest. The toddler screamed, not liking this. "No!"

"Calm down, Code. It's just daddy."

He banged his hands on Fang's chest.

"Why are you mad?" Fang asked him.

"Down!"

"Alright," Fang said, putting him back on the bed. Cody moved away from him and into his mommy's spot on the bed. He hated his daddy now.

* * *

"Happy birthday, dear Lucas-"

"Lucas, stop it," I said as we finally got to the house. He ran off, probably to go find Fox.

"I hate him," Tyler complained, stomping of up the stairs.

"Are you okay?" I asked Tabitha.

She shrugged, going up the stairs too. I sighed, before going to my own bedroom.

"Max, I think I made him mad."

I looked at Fang but looking at my youngest. "How?"

"He wanted to play and-"

"He asked you to play with him?"

"Yeah-"

"Really?"

"Yes," Fang said. "Anyways, I said no and-"

"Why would you do that, Fang? He never asks to play with us."

"Because my back hurts and I'm tired."

"So? Suck it up."

"Max."

"Come here, baby," I said, going to pick Cody up. He wrapped his arms around my neck and leaned against me. "Was Daddy mean to you?"

"Yes."

"I was not!"

"Come on," I said to my baby, walking out the door. "We'll go play without him."

"Good," Fang said, settling back into the bed.

"What do you want to do, Cody? Huh?"

He patted my cheek. "'Side."

"What?"

"Go 'side."

"It's raining, Cody."

"No."

"Yes it is," I told him. And it was. Somewhere in the world.

He closed his eyes again. "Blocks?"

"You want to?" I asked, going into his bedroom. "Alright."

* * *

I never knew he could play the piano. I voiced this to Cameron.

"What?"

She had come over to my house after her a Damien got into a fight, I guess. Right now, we were sitting in the living room, watching some reality show.

"Damien. I didn't know that he played piano."

"He doesn't."

I shrugged. "That's not what his mother says."

"Why are you talking to Trinity?"

"I was trying to figure out who has James."

She settled back into the couch. "Well, he never told me that he played so I didn't know either."

"He's really good."

"She says that he's good at everything."

"Maybe he is."

"No."

I shrugged again. "Yeah, he is kind of-"

"Kind of what?" She turned on me, like always. She could put him down but I couldn't. I feel the same way about Fang, I guess, for the most part anyways. "Damien is great."

"I know."

She crossed her arms. "So what did his mother say about piano, anyways?"

"Something about his grandfather. I don't know. Lucas was licking Tank at the moment so I was preoccupied."

She glanced at me. "Fang play any instruments?"

"Nope. Bone plays guitar."

"All creeps play guitar."

I made a face at her. "Damien plays a little."

"God! He fucking does _everything_."

"That's not a bad thing."

"Says you," she told me. "You're lucky. You have the macho, full of himself, too much testosterone husband."

Was that a compliment?

"I," she continued, "am stuck with the nerdy, loser, everyone thinks he so cute and caring husband."

Yeah, I'm the lucky one.

"Damien is the perfect guy."

She snorted. "Hardly."

"…Is he big?"

"You've seen him."

"No, Cameron. I meant _big_."

"As in the size of his…?"

"Yeah."

"Max, that's-"

"You asked me that about Fang."

She blushed. "I did not! You brought it up that night, not me."

"Well, I was honest."

"You said yes, then you said no, and then you said kind of. That's not a straight answer."

"He's not the smallest I've been with," I said.

"Same here."

I frowned. "If you had to guess in inches-"

"Max, I'm not playing that game."

"Is he thick?"

'Is Fang?"

"Yeah. Thicker is better than longer."

"No, it's not."

"So Damien's not thick?"

"Max, really?"

"What?" I looked back at the TV. "Legitimate question."

"Alright. How many times is it real?"

"Is what real?"

"Your orgasm."

I shut up after that.

* * *

"Where were you?"

"Leave me alone, Damien," she said, closing the front door behind her.

"Where did you go?"

She started up the stairs.

"Cameron, stop," he called as he got up from the couch and followed her. "Where did you go?"

Once they got to the bedroom, she turned to face him. "Why did you never tell me anything about playing piano?"

He stared at her for a second. "Who told you that?"

"Not you, obviously."

"Are you mad at me?"

"I might be."

He sighed. "Cameron, it just never came up."

"It should have," she said. "And what about your grandfather?"

"You were talking to my mother."

"No, actually I wasn't."

"Cameron, stay out of my past and I'll stay out of yours."

She snorted. "You know everything about my past."

"Oh really?"

"Yes! You know all about Philip."

"I'm not talking about that past. I meant growing up."

"You know all about-"

"No, Cameron, I don't," he said. "I know what you tell me and all you ever tell me is that your parents sucked."

"What do you want? An autobiography?"

"No, I'm just saying that I don't pry. Neither should you."

"Whatever," she said, going over to the bed. "Go spend time with you precious _Samantha_."

"Cameron-"

"Get out."

He frowned at her before leaving.

* * *

"Max?"

I rolled over in bed. "What, Ty?"

"Happy Valentine's Day," he told me.

I groaned. "What time is it, baby?"

"I don't know."

"Are you ready for school?"

"Yes."

"Is Daddy up?"

"Yeah."

"Is he taking you and your sister to school?"

"Yes."

"Good. Have a good day."

He kissed my cheek. "I made you a Valentine's card, Mama."

"Where is it?"

"I left it on the table for you."

"Thank you, Tyler."

"You're welcome, Max. I love you."

"I love you too."

He smiled before running off. I went back to sleep.

"Mommy?"

I opened my eyes. Lucas was in bed with me.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked him.

"I comes gets yous for breakfast!"

"Daddy made us food?"

"Yep!"

I sat up and gave him a kiss. "Thank you for telling me, big boy."

He giggled. "You wel'ome.

"Do you have anything to give me?"

Smiling, he jumped off the bed. "Come on!"

I followed him through the house and into the kitchen. Cody was on the floor, playing with Fox.

"Where is it, Lucas?"

"Come on," he said again, going to the backdoor. Curious, I sent a look at Fang before going out back with him.

"Made you candy," he told me. "Look!"

"Lucas, God," I said. He was pointing to what can only be described as mud pies. One had a dead grasshopper on top and another had a beetle, not the good kind either.

"Some crunchy, some not," he told me. "Grass-jumper mine though."

"I told you that we do not eat mud or bugs."

"I do."

"No. Bugs are people too, Lucas."

He shook his head. "Like Fear Factor. I'm the champ!"

I picked him up and carried him back inside. "Fang, did you let him make mud pies?"

"Yep."

"What? Why?"

"He's a boy. That's what boys do."

"It's what boys shouldn't do."

"Eh, whatever," he said. "Look, I made you an omelet."

"Thanks, but you still shouldn't have let him do that."

Fang shrugged. "Happy Valentine's Day, by the way."

"Yeah, thanks," I said as I went over to him and he gave me a kiss.

"I love you."

'Right, sure."

"I do."

"I didn't say that you didn't."

He just rolled his eyes.

* * *

"I love you," Bone whispered, kissing Victoria awake.

"No, not yet. I don't wanna wake up yet."

Shrugging, he settled back into the bed, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Alright."

She moaned. "Do you have work?"

"No."

"Good."

He closed his eyes. "Tonight, my apartment."

"Artty, I hate sleeping on the couch."

"No sex, no couch."

She smiled a little, cuddling against him. "Then I guess we're sleeping on the couch."

"Happy day."

"Huh?"

"Valentine's Day."

"Oh, right," she said, as if she could have forgotten the day. "So, uh, did you get me anything?"

"…I bought Max a card."

She turned away from him. "Oh."

"And flowers."

"You got her a card and flowers but got me nothing?"

He shook his head. "I got Max card, you flowers."

"Where?"

"That's why I left. They're in the living room."

"Thank you."

He wouldn't let her get up though. "Stay. We're cuddling."

She sighed as he pulled her close to him. "I love you, Artemis."

He never thought that he would get used to hearing that name again, but as long as it was his Victoria saying it, he was in love with it.

* * *

"Why didn't you make me a card?"

Tyler looked at the one that Alex made him. "Um, I got busy. Had to make Max a card, had to eat, I slept…oh yeah, pooped too."

She looked at the table. "Oh."

"It's okay," he told her. "I got you something better."

"What?"

"Me."

"Oh."

He smiled. "I'm way better than a card. You can play with me, have me do your homework."

"You don't do your own homework, Tyler."

"Okay, so I can't do your homework but you can play with me."

"Oh."

He couldn't tell if she was happy or not but it didn't matter. He was thrilled that she made him a card, and that he had gotten her something. He had to be the best best friend in the world. Maybe just the U.S. The world is a big place.

* * *

"Fang, stop."

He kept kissing my neck.

"Fang, it's almost time to get the kids. We won't finish."

"I want you now."

"So?"

"Please, Maxie?"

"Stop calling me that."

"Mommy?"

Fang frowned at the closed bedroom door. "Lucas, you're supposed to be taking a nap."

"I don't like naps," he said, jiggling the door handle. "It's Valentine's Day.

"So?"

"I have to be with Mommy."

I pushed Fang away from me. 'Go unlock the door, Fang."

He grumbled before going to do so. He let Lucas in before walking out of the room.

"Hi," Lucas said to me, climbing into bed with me. "Are you happy?"

"yes."

"Me too," he said, laying down. "Know what?"

"No, what?"

"I no know either," he giggled. "Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Boo."

"Boo who?"

"No cry, Mommy," he said before laughing again.

I just rolled my eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Cammie."

She opened her eyes a little, not really wanting to wake up. "Hey. Have you checked on it?"

"Sammy? I took her to my mother."

If she really cared about the kid, she'd ask why but she didn't. "Why are you dressed all nice?"

"We have a date."

'Right." She rolled onto her stomach. "So, anyways-"

"Cameron, I'm serious," he said. "You know what today is."

"What?"

"Valentine's Day."

"You said that we weren't doing anything."

"I lied."

"Sinner."

"Everyone sins."

Cameron sighed, sitting up. "I am not ready to leave this house for, at the least, an hour. Maybe two."

Damien shrugged. "That's fine."

"Don't you have reservations or something?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Then why-"

'Come here," he said, grabbing her hand.

"Damien-"

"It's not that far," he said, pulling her up and out of the room.

"I hate you," she complained, following him down the stairs.

"I made you dinner," he said once they arrived at the kitchen.

"…Why?"

"Because we love each other and I knew that I had to do something for you," he said. "Plus, I figured you wouldn't want to leave the house."

"You made me steak."

"Yep."

She let go of his hand. "Why did it have to leave?"

"My mom just wanted Sam to spend the night with her."

"Hmmm…"

"So are you hungry?"

She kissed his cheek. "I love you, Damien."

He smiled while also blushing a little. "Yeah. I love you too."

* * *

"You got me nothing?"

"I didn't think that you wanted anything!"

"Are we together or not, Luther?"

"Not! You said-"

"I was lying!"

"Oh, like I fucking read minds."

"You fuck everything else!"

James started crying on the floor. They were too loud. They were always too loud.

"Look what you did,' Tammie said, gesturing to their son. "He's upset."

"You make him that way."

"I do not-"

A knock on the door stopped her. Luther answered. 'Trinity-"

"Hi," she said, pushing her way into the house. "Hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

Luther glanced at Tammie before her mother. "No, I don't think you were."

"Good," she said, setting Samantha's carrier on the floor. "Why is James crying?"

"Because he's a baby," Luther said, making Trinity frown. James crawled over to his grandmother.

"Gan-ga!"

She picked him up. "Stop that fussing, James. Nothing's wrong with you."

He sniffled, leaning against her.

"Mom, why are you here?" Tammie asked.

"To get James."

"Why?" Luther asked, confused.

"I have one grandbaby, I want the other."

"Why do you have Samantha?" Tammie asked. Her stepbrother was very protective over his adopted daughter. She was amazed he had given her up on their first Valentine's Day together.

"I don't know. I think Damien and Cameron were going to…have their first time."

Luther frowned even more. "First time for what?"

Tammie understood a lot quicker. "Mom, you don't think-"

"Yes. They got married when she was only a few weeks out. They wouldn't have done it then."

Finally catching on, Luther said, "Trinity, I think that they did it a lot sooner than you think."

"How sooner?"

"Like before Cameron got taken sooner."

Her eyes narrowed. "They did not."

"Mom, they were living together."

"And? That doesn't mean anything."

Luther sighed, going over to Samantha's carrier. "Here, I'll take her back out to the car for you, so that you can carry James."

At the sound of his name, James moaned. He just wanted Max, Cody, and Cam. Was that too much to ask for?

* * *

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm not," Tabitha said as we came into the house. Then she just ran up the stairs. Tyler wasn't concerned with her.

"Did you like my card, Max?"

I smiled at him. "Yes. Thank you, Tyler. You're very sweet."

He licked his arm. "No, I kind of taste sweaty."

I pushed his head before going into the bedroom. Fang was about to go get the kids when he popped his back wrong and said it hurt too much to move. Big baby…

"Hey," I said, going in there. Lucas was reading a story to his daddy, trying to make him feel better. Did I say reading? Lucas was really just looking at the pictures and making up as he went but hey, Fang wasn't listening anyway.

"Hi," Lucas said, looking up from the big picture book.

"How's my injured soldier?" I asked Fang, going to lay down. Lucas, again, assumed that I was speaking to him.

"Good," Lucas said. "My foot hurts though."

Fang glanced at him. "Why?"

"I bit it."

I shook my head. "How's your back, Fang?"

"It hurts."

"You want me to rub it?"

"Not with him in here."

"Fang."

He was on his stomach, laying awkwardly. "Did you get the kids?"

"Yes."

"Good," he said before closing his eyes. I picked up Lucas and took him into the living room so that Fang could sleep in peace.

"Hi, Ty," Lucas greeted as I sat him on the couch next to his brother. "I'm three."

"Yeah, I know," Tyler said.

"And, I'm a frog," he said before beginning to make frog noises. Ugh.

* * *

Cameron cuddled against her pillow. "What about the baby?"

"Sam's staying with my mom for the night."

"Good."

He sighed. "Don't you love her at least a little?"

"No."

They were lying in bed, still clothed, as they had been the whole night. They didn't have sex. Damien was fine with that. He wasn't really into sex anyways. It was good and all but he wasn't addicted. He wasn't Luther. He wasn't Bone. He was him and sex wasn't appealing all the time. So what?

"Cameron."

"What? There is nothing that says that I have to love it."

"You should want to love her."

"Well, its nothing to me. Just a baby," she said, closing her eyes. "I care more about Tommy than that thing."

"Stop it, Cameron. That's my daughter and yours too."

She sighed. "I guess that I care about it, somewhat anyways."

"Stop calling my baby an it."

"Shut up, Damien."

"No."

She opened her eyes and just stared at him for a second. "Fine. I care about her somewhat."

He calmed a little. "Thank you."

"Whatever."

* * *

"What's your problem?"

"Leave me alone, Tyler."

"No," he said, crossing his arms. "You didn't give Max a card."

"What?"

"For Valentine's Day."

"So what?"

"She must be sad," Tyler continued, looking around his sister's room. He rarely came in there and was shocked at how clean and tidy it was. Too bad his room wasn't clean…

"So? I'm upset too!"

"Why?"

"My boyfriend broke up with me, stupid."

"Yeah, I'm stupid."

"I know you are."

Tyler frowned. "Fine! Max doesn't like you anyways. I hope you die."

"I hope that you die!"

He spit at her before leaving. He almost went and cleaned his room but no. Tabitha's room didn't like _that_ good.


	15. Chapter 15

Living

Chapter 15

**March**

"Fang?"

"What?"

I laid my head on his chest. "What time is it?"

"You woke me up to ask me that?"

"No."

He sighed, looking at the clock. "Around four in the morning. What's wrong, Max?"

"Nothing," I said, running a hand down his chest. "Do you feel alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just feel a little sick," I said, closing my eyes.

"Do you have to throw up?"

"Fang, I'm not going to puke on you."

He ran a hand down my back. "Do you need to go to the doctor?"

"No. I've never really been to the doctor to begin with, except when I was pregnant."

"Well, if you're sick, you need to go."

I closed my eyes. "I just want you to take care of me."

He kissed my head. "You want me to bathe you?"

"It's four in the morning."

"I meant later."

"Fang, I have a fever. I do not want to have sex."

"I really meant that I was going to give you a bath, baby."

Cuddling against him, I said, "My whole body hurts."

"When did it start?"

"I woke up at twelve and puked, so around then."

"You got sick? Max, why didn't you wake me up?"

"I didn't think I needed to."

He looked down at me. "What do you need to feel better? You want some water? Medicine?"

"No," I said. "I just want you to hold me."

He kissed my head again. "Tell me if you need anything."

"Just go back to bed, Fang."

"Nope, not now," he said, rolling so that we were facing each other. "Now that I know you got sick and didn't wake me up, I'm going to watch you and make sure you don't need me."

"Fang-"

"No," he said, kissing me one last time. "Sleep, Max. I'm right here."

"But-"

"Sleep," he ordered, holding me close to him. "Just sleep, Maxie."

"You need to too," I said, closing my eyes. I yawned. "And, mow the grass in the morning. You wait too long and it'll be hot."

"Shhh," he whispered in my ear. "Just sleep, baby. Come on."

I sighed before doing so.

* * *

"See, Sammy? You have my eyes."

God, could he get more delusional? Cameron groaned. "Damien? What time is it?"

"Almost six."

"Why is the baby up?"

"She's not sleepy," Damien said. He was laying on his back, Samantha on his chest. "Say good morning to Mommy, Samantha."

"Not now, alright?"

"What? I'm just-"

"Damien, it's early. Don't push me."

He kissed Samantha's head. "Sam says that you're mean."

"Good."

"Cameron, what's wrong?"

"Besides the fact that the sun isn't even up yet? Nothing."

Peter meowed, cuddling into Cameron. She gave him a kiss. Damien yawned, running a hand down Samantha's back. "What do you want to do tonight?"

"Nothing."

"Cameron, come on. We always do nothing."

"Oh, like it's my fault."

"Well, I'm going out then."

"Fine, then just go ahead and stay with your mother from now on."

"Why?"

"Because I won't be letting you back in the house if you do."

"Cameron, that's not fair."

"Yeah, well, neither is life."

He was quiet for a minute before speaking again. "I have work today."

Cameron groaned. "So I'm stuck with her again?"

Damien stared at his daughter. She had finally fallen back to sleep. He loved Cameron, but he loved Samantha too. "No. You don't have to do anything for her, ever again."

It was her turn to be silent for a minute. "Good."

* * *

"This is stupid."

"I don't know," Alex said, looking at the notebook paper in front of her. "I kind of like it."

"Well, I don't."

Alex giggled. "Don't cha know what you want to be when you grow up?"

"Yes, I know! I just don't think I should have to write it down."

"I like writing."

"That's 'cause your writing looks good. Max says mine looks bad."

"That's because you're a _ni__ño_."

"No! It is not because I'm a boy."

"Yes it is. All boys have bad handwriting."

Tyler huffed. "No."

"And, plus, I'm smarter than you."

"Are not."

"Are too. I can write in Spanish and English."

"I can speak both!"

"Not as well as me!"

Tyler frowned at her. Alex was starting to talk back to him and doubt him a lot more than before. No wonder Dad said bad words to Max. "Forget you then, Alex. I just won't sit with you at lunch."

"Dare you," she said, calling his bluff.

Tyler stared at her. "I will. I promise."

"Do it then."

"Fine."

She paused. "You're not really going to do it, are you?"

"No, not if you beg for my forgiveness?"

"What if I just say that I love you?"

"That works too."

* * *

"You feel any better?"

I opened my eyes a little. "Huh?"

"You feel better?" He repeated.

I groaned. "What time is it?"

"Eleven something," he said. "You hungry? I'll make you some soup, if you can keep it down."

"Thanks," I said, sitting up. "Did you take the kids to school?"

"Yeah."

"And mowed?"

He sighed. "I couldn't. I had to watch the boys and you were sick, so I didn't want to leave them alone in the house."

"You're such a good daddy."

He smiled at me. "Don't I know it?"

I smiled back at him. Then I shot up to go puke. Fang held my hair back for me, not even seeming to be disgusted by my throw up. I wasn't just a good dad, he was also a good husband. Most of the time.

* * *

"Hey, Damien," Cassandra said, looking hard at him. "What's that?"

"My baby," he said.

"Guys! Damien brought his baby!"

None of the guys were interested but all of the girls were.

"Aw," Suzie said, looking adown at her. "Think of what a great artist she'll be with you as a daddy."

Rachel, with her usual downer attitude, snorted. "It's just a child. Who cares?"

"You sure came over here to see it," Joanna said. "Besides, I think she's cute."

"Why did what's her mean self let you take her?" Cassandra asked.

"Cameron? Because she was tired and didn't want to deal with her."

"Tired from what?" Joanna asked. No one at Damien's work had a good outlook on his relationship. Not that he cared.

"She does a lot of stuff that you don't even know about," Damien said, going on the defensive.

"Yes," Rachel said, staring down at the baby. She flipped her dyed black hair back. "It's such a waste of time, working. I only wish I was her, if you were not in the equation, Damien."

He frowned. "Anyways, Cassie, can you keep her up here with you?" Damien asked. "I don't think that she'd like it back there with me. The noises will scare her."

"Sure," Cassandra readily agreed.

"Thanks," he said. "Besides, I'm going to take her over to Anime Any Day later. It's just that Bone is the only one that's there right now and he's-"

"Why would you take her over there?" Suzie frowned at him. "We would much rather have her with us, not those freaks."

Damien wasn't sure why none of his coworkers like Luther and Bone. They just didn't. They were alright with everyone else, except for Cameron of course.

"Fine," he said. "She should sleep most of the time, 'cause she didn't sleep last night at all."

"Okay," Cassandra said, putting the baby carrier behind the counter. "Say bye-bye to Daddy."

The baby said nothing, as she was asleep but Damien told her bye back anyways, even though the guys all rolled their eyes at him. He didn't care what anyone else though. He loved hid daughter and he wasn't afraid to show it in front of anyone.

* * *

"Think that maybe you're pregnant?"

I glanced at Fang. "I had my period a week ago."

Fang laid his head on my stomach. "We've had sex since then."

"No we haven't."

He started kissing my stomach. "I wish you were pregnant."

I ran a hand down the back of his head. "I feel a little better."

"Good," he said, sighed. "I need to go get the twins."

I pushed his head away from my stomach. "Go."

He gave me a kiss on the head. "Alright. I'm taking Lucas, and Cody is sleeping in his crib."

"Okay."

Then he was gone. I slept for a little bit before getting up and going to the living room. I was on the couch when the kids got home.

"Max!" Tyler rushed to me. "Daddy wouldn't let me stay home and take care of you."

"Stop being loud," Fang grumbled. "Max is sick, Tyler."

"You don't have any covers," Tyler complained. He ran off and returned with a blanket and my pillow. "Sit up, Max."

I glanced at Fang before doing so. He put the pillow behind me and then laid the blanket over me to the best of his ability.

"There, now lay down," he said, running off again. This time, he came back with Wa-wa. "Here, Max. He'll make you feel better."

"Thank you," I said, taking the dog from him. Then Tyler kissed his hand before putting it against my cheek.

"If I kissed you, I'd get sick," he told me.

"Go do your homework," I told him, shaking my head. Tabitha ran up the stairs after him.

"You need juice," Lucas told me. Unlike Tyler, he wasn't into doing things for me. "Daddy, get Mommy juice."

Fang shook his head. "Do you want something to drink, baby?"

"No," I told him. "I just wanted to watch TV."

"Alright," he said, lifting Lucas up into his arms. "Luke and I will be in the bedroom."

I went back to sleep.

* * *

"Aw, she's so cute."

"Thanks," Damien said. It was his break but he was watching the receptionist desk for Cassandra because she had kept Samantha for him. Cassandra got a call that her son was sick, so she had to go pick him up and take him to his grandmother's.

"Is David around, anyways?" The woman asked.

"Yeah, in the back," he said. "Are you his appointment? He doesn't take walk-ins."

"What? No," the blonde said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. When Rachel did that, it wasn't nearly as hot. "I'm his-"

"What are you doing here?"

Damien turned his head to see his boss coming out from one of the back offices. The woman smiled at him.

"Hey, I thought that we could go-"

"I'm busy," David told her. "Go away. I'll call you later."

"You never do," she complained.

"I said to leave."

The blonde narrowed her eyes at him before walking out of the shop. David came up the counter. The thing about David was that he wasn't Bone and Luther. His actions with women were similar but they were truly different. Bone and Luther hooked up with girls that knew going in it was a one time thing, for the most part. David liked to have different girlfriends, all at the same time. Damien didn't get it, but David liked to play women.

"So this is the great Samantha, eh?" David asked, looking down at the baby. "And look, she's awake."

"Yeah, but she doesn't like other people so-"

"Shut up, Damien," David said, picking the baby up. "Don't look like she doesn't like me."

Samantha stared at the man before her. His face was hairy and the hair on his head wasn't there except for three long, spiked up pieces. She giggled, reaching out to touch his face.

"You're scaring her," Damien said. "And don't hold her like that."

The older man was holding the baby out in front of him, just looking at her. "Why not?"

"You could hurt her," Damien said, taking his daughter back. "Shhh, Sam. It's okay."

She got sleepy again and started yawning. Her daddy put him back in her carrier.

"Why's she here anyways?" David asked. He had been holed up in the office all day, working on something.

"Cameron said that she didn't want her."

"Well, she doesn't know what she's missing, huh Samantha?"

The baby made a noise before closing her eyes.

"So she can stay?" Damien asked.

"Yeah," David said. "She's a lot quieter than my daughter."

"What daughter?" Joanna asked. She had come over and was starting to go through some files, looking for something.

"She don't live with me," David said with a shrug. "See her every other weekend."

"How old is Kara now? Five?" Damien asked. He had met the little girl once.

"Something like that," David said.

"You don't know your own kid's age?" Joanna asked.

"What are you still doing? Get back to work," David said, ignoring her. He patted Samantha on the head gently before walking towards the door. "Damien, tell Cassandra that I'm out when she gets back from wherever the hell she is, and to cancel all my appointments."

"Where are you going?" Damien asked.

"Told Kara I'd pick her up from school today and take her out to do something. Her mom rarely lets me do stuff like that," he said. "I won't be back. You're in charge."

Everyone else in the store got a good laugh out of that.

* * *

"Didn't tell me."

I opened my eyes. "Bone, what are you doing here?"

"Fang didn't call and tell me that you were sick," he explained, coming to the side of the couch. Fang closed the front door.

"I said that you couldn't come in."

Bone ignored my husband. "Bath?"

"What?"

"I need to give you a bath."

Why do they all want to bathe me so freaking badly?

"No," Fang said before I could.

"She's my little sister. I have to-"

"Bone, stop it," Fang said, grabbing his arm. "I let you play pretend for awhile, but now you need to stop. She's not your sister."

"Get off me," Bone shoved him off. "Come on, Max. I'm taking you home."

"It's probably your apartment that got her sick in the first place," Fang said.

"She wouldn't be there if you were a better husband."

"You little-"

"Boon!" Lucas ran into the room.

"Uncle."

"Uncle Boon."

"You know, you can say Bone now," I told Lucas.

"No," he lied. "I can't say Bone."

"You just did."

He wrapped his arms around Bone's leg. "Mommy's mean."

"She's sick," Bone told him, picking the boy up. "Don't you know that?"

"Yeah," Bone's little follower said. "I know that."

Fang crossed his arms. "You need to leave, Bone."

"No," Lucas said. "Bone, look at my teeth. They're still not there!"

I groaned, closing my eyes. "I don't care who leaves and who goes. Just shut up."

Bone stayed in the end, but only after Lucas's crying. Whatever. I was just glad that I got to sleep.

* * *

"Where did you take her?"

Damien put the carrier on the floor. "To work with me."

"Why?"

"You didn't want her and I'm not going to let you be mean to my baby."

Cameron crossed her arms. "Well, did you at least bring me food?"

"I was gonna make you dinner, baby."

Cameron relaxed a little. "I guess that's alright then."

He smiled at her, going to give her a kiss on the head. "How was your day, Cammie?"

"Good, I guess."

"Was Peter alright?"

"Yeah."

"Good," Damien said. "I'm going to put Sam in her crib."

"Alright," Cameron said, laying down. "Tonight, let's watch a movie."

"The Black Knight?"

She rolled her eyes. "We have it?"

Duh. "Yes, Cameron."

"I guess," she gave in. "I'll fall asleep on your shoulder."

"That's fine, as long as you don't droll."

"I make no promises."

He picked up the baby. "Say goodnight to Mommy, Sam. Tell her that you love her."

She whined until he took her upstairs. He heard Cameron say something softly but he couldn't make it out. He went ahead and pretended that she said that he loved her too.

* * *

**April**

I laid my head on Fang's shoulder. "Are we gonna do that?"

He wasn't paying attention to the movie. "Get old? Probably."

"No, stupid," I said. "I meant renew our vows."

"No."

"Oh."

He gave me a kiss on the head. "Why would we?"

"I just thought that one day we'd have a real wedding."

Fang sighed. "Did you want to?"

"No."

He shook his head, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I love you, Max. A real wedding would be money that we don't have."

"I know."

He kissed my head again. "If you want one, we can have one."

"No, I'm fine."

Pulling me tighter against him, Fang said, "We love each other too much to have a stupid thing like that."

"Yeah," I agreed, but only halfheartedly.

* * *

"What? What's wrong?"

Cameron couldn't breath properly. Damien took the phone from her, hanging it up.

"Why did you scream?" He asked. "Who was that?"

Cameron just stared at him for a second. "No, wait. She was lying. She's liar. A fucking liar!"

"Cameron, what are you-"

"He's not gone, Damien, he's not," she yelled, pushing him away from her. "He's not."

"I don't-"

"Tommy," she cried, now pulling him to her.

"What about him?"

* * *

We had to tell her. It wasn't going to be the highlight of my day, no way. It was the lowest point in my life in a long time. But we still had to do it.

Fang sighed, getting out of bed. "Now."

It wasn't a question but I still answered. "Yeah."

We went slowly to her bedroom. When we got there, she was still up, coloring. She didn't even look up when we opened her bedroom door. "I don't need to be tucked in."

I ignored this, going over to her. I sat down on her bed and pulled her into my lap as best I could.

"Max-"

"Tabitha, we've got something to tell you," Fang said, getting down on his knees next to the bed.

"So you are getting a divorce."

I laid my head on top of hers. "Tabitha, sweetie, remember that talk we had about Kevin?"

She relaxed a little, leaning against me willingly now. "Yeah."

"And how I told you that sometimes things just happen? That you can't control them?"

She thought that I was just reviewing with her. "Yep."

"And that-"

"Max," she complained. "I haven't said anything bad about Kevin."

I held her to me. "I know. This isn't about Kevin, baby."

"Then what's it about?"

Fang looked at me while he talked. "Tommy got hurt, baby."

"Good."

I kissed her head. "He got hurt really bad."

She tensed again. "How bad?"

"He…he won't be around anymore," Fang said.

"Why?"

"He died," I told her.

"What?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He got in an accident, Tabitha."

"No," she mumbled at first. Then she started crying.

"Tabitha, it's alright," Fang said. He wasn't good with emotions. "Baby, he's not gone. He's just in heaven."

"No!" She was wailing loudly. "That's not fair!"

Fang took her from me, standing up. I didn't think that he could still carry her but he was proving me wrong. "Tabitha, it's alright."

"No it's not!"

"Shhh," Fang whispered in her ear. She cried for awhile, slowly getting softer. Then it was nothing.

I got out of the bed and Fang laid her back down. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring on leather that he got her. Tommy had taken it back after she threw it at her but Cameron gave it back to me a few weeks ago, in case Tabitha ever wanted it again. I had slipped it in my pocket on the way up here. Staring at her for a second, I laid it on the pillow next to her head.

"Let's go," Fang whispered, pulling me out of the room. "Time to tell Tyler."

That was a different thing entirely.

"Why was Tabitha crying?" Tyler asked. He was sitting on his bed, holding onto his Spiderman doll. "Is she dead?"

I shook my head, going over to him. "Tyler, something bad happened."

"To who? Me?"

Fang sighed. "Tommy…died, Tyler."

"Fang," I said as I hit him in the arm. God.

Tyler blinked. "So what's the bad thing?"

I frowned. "Tyler, he's dead, baby. Gone. He's with Jesus now."

"As if," Tyler said. "He went somewhere bad."

Fang got mad. "Tyler, shut your mouth, alright? You're not even fucking funny. God, Tyler, can you not be normal for once? Thomas was your fucking friend you little brat."

"Fang, you stop-"

"No, Max," Fang said, walking out of the room. "You've screwed him up, you fix him."

"What's wrong with me?" Tyler asked, looking to me for answers. "Why is he mad? Why do you have to fix me?"

"I don't," I told him, going to get into his bed with him. "Your father is stupid."

My baby cuddled into my arms. "I'm sorry that I'm screwed up."

"You are not screwed up. I told you, your father is stupid."

He leaned against me. "So he's dead dead?"

"Yes, Tyler."

"I'm sorry, I guess. He was mean to me though. And Alex."

"Shhhh," I said, running a hand down his head. That could have been my baby, any of them. I can't lose another baby. It's not fair that Mary has to. I don't know why but I started crying soft, little tears. Tyler didn't even notice. He just snuggled against me.

"I love you, Max," he said.

In a choked up voice, I spoke those same words back to him.

* * *

Sometimes, he just lays out on the ground, in the middle of the street. He saw it in a movie once, the Journal or Sketchbook. Something that ended in book. He was doing it long before that though. Sometimes, he just wished that a car would come by and hit him. Other times, he did it just for the thrill.

When he was a kid, no one liked him. All the bigger boys beat him up, even a few girls. It wasn't fair. His Mom wanted to make him feel better about it and would always be calling someone's mom or the school about it, but his dad just shook his head and told him he need to grow up, learn to fight for himself. Even Luther stopped helping him in the fights. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. It was life.

The first time he laid in the street, he almost got run over. Ever since then, he's loved the excitement of it all. It's best to do at around midnight, when the drunks are coming home, the ones that will hit you whether you laying on the street or sitting at a stop light.

Damien didn't know Tommy that long, really. And, they had a horrible relationship at first. Then Tommy started to like him, to need him. It's not fair. Trent took away Tommy's childhood with his words and now he's taken away his life. It wasn't fair. It was life.

"Get out of the street, stupid."

"Why are you here?"

Luther sighed, standing over the younger man. "To save your sorry ass again. You know, I could have hit you. I didn't know you were laying there."

"That's the point."

"What? So Cameron loses her nephew and husband? No. Get up."

"Go away. You know that I hate-"

"Where's Cameron, Damien?"

"In the house."

"Doing what?"

"I don't know," he said, still staring up at the sky. He hated the city. You could never see the stars. Not like when he used to stay with his grandpa. Those days are gone though. Long gone. One day though, he's going to take Samantha camping so she can see the stars.

"You should be with her."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do with my wife," Damien warned. "I know how to take care of her, I always have. If anything, you should be taking tips from me."

Luther let a breath slowly. "When my baby died, Cindy, I did Tammie wrong. You know I did."

"I'm not going to cheat on Cameron. Ever."

"I know that," Luther said. "I know, trust me, I know. I just know that she's going through hell right now. That was the first kid she really took care of, right? And God knows that he was at her house enough to be her son."

Damien closed his eyes. "She doesn't want me around her right now."

"I know she's saying that, but she doesn't mean it. She needs you, Damien."

"I…I don't want to say the wrong thing," he admitted.

"As long as you mean whatever you say, you won't."

When he made no move to get up, Luther reached down and pulled him up. Damien frowned. "Hey-"

"Damien, go take care of your wife."

Damien brushed himself off. "Why did you stop by here anyways?"

"After you called Fang to tell him, he called me before telling Tabitha. Now, I'm headed over there to comfort my girl," he explained. "I decided to stop by and check on you."

Damien looked away. True, Luther didn't always stop him from getting beat up, he did a lot more for him. "Thanks, you know. I mean-"

"Don't get all gushy," Luther said, starting back to his car. "Just go take care of Cameron, I've got my own girl to worry about."

* * *

"She's asleep."

Luther frowned. "I'll just go check on-"

"No," I told him. "If you're going to be here, stay on the couch and-"

"Luther!" Lucas ran into the room.

"I told you to go to bed," I told him. Lucas wrapped his arms around Luther's leg.

"Boon here?"

"No."

"Oh," he said, letting go of Luther. He turned back around, looking at his cat that was following him. "Come on, Fox. No Boon."

Luther shook his head. "Where's Fang?"

"Hiding in his attic."

'Why?"

"He cursed at me and Tyler."

"Why?"

"Tyler's not upset about Tommy."

"So Fang cussed?"

I shrugged. "Go talk to him. I'm going to bed."

I was starting to back away when Luther came closer and just hugged me. Hard.

"Luther-"

"Sorry," he said, letting me go. "I just don't like for Fang to curse at you. I figured, you know, you wanted me to do like Bone and hug you."

I glanced at his face. "I think it would be better if you just let me sleep during work."

Luther gave ma a little smile. "Eh, whatever works for you."

* * *

"Luther still here?"

Fang got into bed. "No."

I turned to face his side of the bed. "Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Is that all you're gonna say?"

"No."

I ran a hand down his arm. "I don't get why you got so mad."

"Tommy meant a lot to Tabitha. What if Alex, God forbid, died? What if Tabitha laughed at that? Max, he's crazy. Tyler is-"

"Fang, that's not fair. He's seven! He's just thinking that now he won't have someone who's mean to him around."

"Still, Cody would have a more emotional reaction."

I kissed his forearm, the closest body part to me. "And? Tyler's different. You know that."

"I just don't get how he's not upset. Tommy's be with them for a long time."

I sniffled. "Did Damien say if Trent was-"

"I don't know," Fang said. "I didn't ask. I just know that they were both in a car wreck and Trent came out alive. It's not fucking fair! Trent's a fuck ass, Tommy was just a kid. I hate this."

I closed my eyes. "Tabitha's got to feel horrible."

"She does."

"What are we going to do, Fang?"

He looked at me. "Same thing as always, Max. Just keep on living. What else can we do?"


	16. Chapter 16

Living

Chapter 16

The hardest part of this all was the funeral. Tyler wanted to go, but then he didn't. Tabitha never wanted to go. I wasn't going to make any of them. Victoria babysat for us. Cameron's not okay, which means Damien's not okay. It was a week after the funeral before I saw him again.

"Hey," I greeted as he came up to the counter with some books. About three days after Tommy died, an order of stuff for Damien came in. It was all Doraemon. The last two that Tommy needed. Luther just ate the losses and didn't make Damien pay for it.

"Hey," he said, setting the comic thingies down.

"How's C-" I stopped myself, looking at his face. "Samantha?"

"Fine," he said, smiling a little at the thought of his daughter. "She likes coming to work with me."

She did that now all the time, seeing as Cameron was rare to even get out of bed. "Where is she now?"

"My mom has her for the day," Damien told me, taking out his wallet.

"That's good," I told him, taking the money.

"No," he said. "Max, she won't even feed her anymore. I've had to change Sam over to bottles fully."

"Damien," I said, looking away from him. Why did he always come to me for advice? Some things I just didn't want to know. "Not everyone likes breastfeeding to begin with."

"Yeah but-"

"Just give her time, Damien. Cameron will get better with time."

"Yeah, but how long?"

"Could be a month, cold be six, could be a few years," I told him. "Just be good to her, alright"

He nodded, walking out of the door.

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Cameron glanced behind her, blowing smoke his way. "What does it look like?"

"You can't smoke," he told her, coming into the backyard. "You just can't."

"Watch me."

"Cameron, I gave up drinking for you."

She took another drag of her smoke. "Never told you to do that."

"Yeah, but I did it because I knew that you were hurt by it."

"Does it look like I give a damn about what you're hurt by?"

He stared at her. How could a person be so alive and look so dead in the eyes? "I love you, Cameron."

She rolled her eyes. "You're worthless, Damien. Don't you have that _thing_ to go play with?"

"That's our child, Cameron."

"For the last time, I don't have a child!" She looked away from him. "Not anymore at least."

"Cameron-"

"Shut up, Damien. God, you're such an idiot," she said. "Just leave me the hell alone."

"No, Cameron," he said. "I know that Tommy d-"

"Shut up! God, just shut up!" She knew that the neighbors could hear but she didn't care. "You don't know anything about Tommy, so just shut up!"

"I know that-"

"No, you don't. He was mine, Damien. Not yours, never yours. You didn't love him."

"I did to. I loved him like-"

"Shut up, you retard," she said. "You don't know a thing."

"Cameron, why are you so mean to me?"

She threw here cigarette on the ground and crushed it with her shoe. "I hope you fucking die, Damien. God, do I wish you were dead instead of him. I would kill you myself if I thought that it would bring him back."

He left after that. She was too mean. He drove all the way to his mother's, tears stinging his eyes. Why wouldn't she let him help her? Damien loved his Cammie.

"Hi, baby," his mom answered the door. "What are you doing here so early? I didn't think-"

"Cameron said mean things to me."

She took in his face before moving back so that he could come in. "Shhh, Damien. It's okay. Really."

He took his daughter from her arms, making the baby giggle. "She said that she wanted me to-"

"Shhh," his mother soothed, running a hand down his arm. "Go sit down on the couch and play with James and Samantha. I'll go make you something to eat, okay?"

"But what about Cameron?"

"Just give her some space," his mother advised. "Stay here for a few nights."

He'd like that. "What about Dad?"

"He's out of town," she said, going into the kitchen. "It's so quiet when he's not here."

In truth, it was quiet either way, but Damien said nothing.

"Hi," James said, coming over to him. The toddler climbed up onto the couch.

"Hi," Damien forced out. He still felt like crying. Then Samantha reached up and patted his lips with her hand, just to let him know that she was there, that she cared about and loved him. Or at least that's how Damien interpreted it.

* * *

"Art?"

He looked down at her, waiting for her to continue.

Victoria cuddled against him. "Are we ever going to get married?"

He nodded.

"Soon?"

"Now, if you want."

"No. I want a real wedding."

He shrugged. "Fine. Plan it."

"You have to propose first, Artemis."

He sighed. "Right now?"

"No. You have to plan it."

"Tommy died."

"I know that."

"Insensitive?"

"We are not being insensitive. He wasn't our nephew. I didn't really know him, anyways. Sure, it's sad and sucks, but it's not our problem. Besides, you don't even like Cameron and Damien."

He considered this. "They deserve."

"Deserve what? And what about what I deserve? I want my wedding, Artemis."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "The baby. The girl."

"Samantha?"

"Yes," he said. "They deserve her. Even if I do hate them."

She kissed his cheek. "I love you, Art."

"I love you too."

* * *

I sighed, looking at Fang. "How'd it go?"

"How do you think it went?"

I shrugged. "What did the teacher say?"

"That Tabitha is acting out, what else?"

I shook my head. "So nothing new?"

"Nope," he said, going to kiss my head. "She's just missing him."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that she has to turn into Tyler."

"Shhh," he whispered. "How was work?"

"Fine. Damien came in."

"Was he okay?"

I shrugged. "I'm going to take a nap, alright?"

Fang kissed my head. "Alright."

Once I got to my room, I laid down. It wasn't ten minutes that something poked me.

"Mommy?"

I opened my eyes a little. "Hey, Luke. What's wrong?"

He climbed into bed with me. "Been thinkin'."

"About what?"

"A fish."

I closed my eyes again, just so that he didn't see me roll them. "What about a fish?"

"'bout how I wan' one."

"You have a cat, Lucas. You do not need a fish."

"Ham-ear?"

'You mean hamster?"

"'at's what I said."

I rolled my eyes. "No hamster."

"Fine!" He jumped down. "Fine."

I went to sleep for awhile before Tyler woke me up.

"Are you awake?"

I groaned. "No."

I heard Alex giggle. Tyler cleared his throat. "We need your help."

"I'm not awake, remember?"

"Max."

I opened my eyes, looking at them. "What, guys?"

"We need a plane."

"There's paper in the-"

"Not an paper plane, Max," Tyler told me. "A real one."

Lucas was out there, but he had nothing on Tyler. Only he could make me truly feel better. Sitting up, I asked, "For what?"

"So that we can go to Tokyo!"

Right. 'For what, Tyler?"

"So that, from there, we can walk to China."

Because he obviously couldn't just take this imaginary plane straight to China. "And then?"

"We're going to the wall," Alex explained.

"The what?"

"The Great Wall," Tyler elaborated.

"Why?"

"So that we can climb it, Max."

I laid back down. "I don't have a plane, Tyler."

"If you know where to buy babies, I know that you know where to buy planes."

"Tyler, I do not buy babies."

"Oh yeah, like you make them." He made a face at me. "Come on, Alex. We'll find our own plane."

"Bye, Max," she called, following him from the room. I couldn't sleep after that. I tried for like half and hour, but wasn't able to. I got up and went into the living room. Cody was playing with his blocks on the floor, his older brother next to him.

"I'ma better buil'er than you, Cody," Lucas told him. "Way better."

Cody threw a block at him. Lucas began to cry.

"Stop it," I told him. "You were taunting him, Lucas. And Cody, you know that we do not throw things."

Cody made a noise, going back to playing. Lucas stopped crying and got up.

"Daddy!"

"Come here, buddy," Fang said, picking him up and setting him in his lap. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lucas said. "Guess so."

"Good," Fang said, hugging him. "I love you."

Lucas giggled. "I love you too."

Cody started chewing on the blocks. I took it from him. "No!"

"Don't chew on your toys."

Cody made a face at me before grabbing another one. He didn't chew on it either.

* * *

"Where have you been?"

It was two days later. Damien sighed, going into the bedroom, carrying Samantha in his arms. She was drooling.

"Have you been crying?" He asked, closing the door with his foot. He sat down on the bed, laying Samantha next to her mother.

Cameron looked away from him. "I thought you left."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought that you left, Damien. I thought that you took the baby and just left. I didn't think that you were coming back."

"What?"

She looked at him. "I thought that you left me."

"Why didn't you just call me?"

"Why didn't you call me?"

He sighed. "My mom said to give you space."

"Your mother. Of course."

Damien sent her a look. "My mother is wonderful and smart."

"Clearly not."

Keeping his mouth shut, Damien looked down at his baby. She was wiggling. He watched as Cameron pulled the baby gently to her, running a hand down the baby's face.

"Samantha missed you," Damien told her.

Cameron just stared at the child for a minute. "Yeah. I missed her too."

Peter jumped up onto the bed, twitching his black tail at the sight. His master had left for awhile, taking the annoying, crying thing with him. True, Peter missed Damien, but not enough to want the annoying thing back. Besides, he had Cameron.

"I love you, Cameron," Damien whispered as the four of them settled into the bed.

She didn't say anything back, just closed her eyes.

* * *

**June**

I have never been so thankful for summer in my life. Finally, Tabitha could move on. The tail end of the school year, it was her causing problems in class, not Tyler. That's not to say that he did his work or anything, but he did enough to pass. That's all I truly ever expect out of him.

Tabitha laid her head against the passenger side window. "Where are we going?"

It was the Saturday after the day school let out. We still did our Saturday girls thing every week.

"Out to eat."

She was silent for a minute. "Max?"

"What?"

"Where's Cameron been?"

I hadn't seen Cameron either. I called her once a week but she never answered. The only one that had seen her since the funeral was Damien.

"At home."

"Doesn't she care about us anymore?"

"What do you mean?"

She frowned. "Even when Tommy wasn't at her house, she'd invite me over."

I stared at the road. "She still cares about you, Tabby. All of us. She and Damien are just-"

"I see Damien all the time."

"He's dealing differently."

"It's like she's dead," Tabitha told me.

"What?"

"She's not living no more. She's dead."

She said this to me like Lucas might remind me that his two front teeth are gone.

"Tabitha-"

"It's okay though," she kept on. "If she wants to play dead, it's all right. I won't hold it against her or anything."

"Some people need longer to heal."

She shrugged. "Tell her that I'm okay. I don't care if she hates me either. She's like Tyler. Even when he hates me, I love him. It's okay."

I've always thought that Tabitha was more mature than Tyler, but I think that she just showed me she's more mature than me.

"You're smart, Tabitha."

With no hint of a smile in her voice, she just said, "I know."

* * *

"It's not fair though!"

"Tyler, calm down."

He stomped his foot. When Max first started taking his sister out, he wasn't happy with it but he thought that it would fade. Now, he was just plain tired of it. "It's not fair! Just 'cause she's a girl don't mean Max should spend more time with her."

Fang groaned, continuing to mix the eggs. "Tyler, stop, alright? Tabitha's gone through a lot."

"I have too."

"Like what?"

"Like Alex not being here today," he said. "Remember? She went to go see her granny. I don't even have a granny. I want to add that to my list too. And then I have him following me around."

Lucas smiled. "I love you, Ty."

"Shhh! I'm making a list," he complained. "Where was I? Right. Alex isn't here, I don't have a granny, I've got Lucas. What else? Um, how 'bout the fact I ain't got no girlfriend?"

"What about Alex?"

"Ew! She's not my girlfriend!"

"Calm down."

"No."

Cody, who was crawling around on the ground, went over to Fang. "Da-ee!"

Fang picked him up, setting the toddler in his lap. "Cody don't complain near as much as you, Tyler."

"That's 'cause he's a baby and ain't as smart as me."

Yeah, that's it.

"So, continue with your list," Fang said.

"Alright," Tyler said, glad that his dad was actually listening. "How about the fact that I don't have a mommy no more?"

Fang frowned. "I thought you called Max mom?"

"No. I call her Mama. And that's only when I want something."

"You don't want Lydia around, do you? If you do, I could call her, I guess. I mean, I just figured that you didn't-"

"Max is fine," Tyler said. "I was just trying to add to my list."

Shaking his head, Fang told him to continue.

"What about how I don't got a brother with any teeth no more? That's sad."

"What else?"

Tyler frowned. "Well, I can't make a long list on such short notice."

Fang sighed. "What if all of us did something together when Max and Tabs are out?"

"What do you mean us?"

"Me, you, Lucas-"

"Yeah!" Lucas cheered.

"No," Tyler said.

Fang ignored them. "And Cody."

Cody didn't like this idea. Why couldn't they just all take a nap?

"What can we do?" Tyler asked.

"Play bored games, watching TV, eat stuff Max won't let us eat."

"Can we drink beer?"

Fang frowned. "Why would you ask that?"

"That's what Bone does?"

"How about Root Beer?"

Tyler shrugged. "Okay."

Lucas clapped his hands. "Eat cookies?"

"Yep."

"Ice c'eam?"

"Yes."

"Candy?"

"Uh-huh."

"Mud and bugs?"

Tyler made a face while Fang just said, "Uh, you can have it all. We're fine, thanks."

Lucas was okay. More for him.

* * *

Samantha liked David. He was nice. She patted the top of his head.

"I want a sister."

David didn't look up. "Go play with Cassandra, Kara."

"Can't you and Mommy have another baby?"

He choked, finally looking at her. "What?"

"Yeah."

He shook his head. "Your mom's married to that guy now. What's his name?"

"I don't like Jerry."

Samantha, who was sitting in his lap, giggled. David bounced her a little. "Yeah, well, that's the way it is."

"I want to live with you."

He sighed. "Look, you know that you can't. Go play with Cassie."

"But I want to stay with you, Daddy."

"I'm trying to do the-"

"Please?"

"Come here," he said, setting Samantha back in her carrier. Damien was out at lunch, which meant he was probably out buying comics, so he said he would watch her. David sat his daughter in his lap.

"You've gotten big," he told her. "You know that?"

Damien chose then to walk in. He said nothing to Davie, just picked up Samantha and left the office.

"I like Damien," the five year old told her father.

He kissed her head. "He's okay."

"No, he's the best."

"If you say so."

* * *

Fang told the boys that they could have their own day together, like me and Tabitha did. I was fine with that. The only problem was that he and the boys didn't know the meaning of the word cleaning up. Or is that two words? Whatever. The point is, when I walked into the house it was a mess.

"Fang!"

"Calm down," he said. He had a plastic bucket on his head. I think they were playing some medieval role playing game, as Tyler had a rolled up newspaper and seemed to be fighting his father.

"No! This place is a mess."

"We'll clean it up later."

"I'm Yoda," Lucas told me.

"Is he part of the King Arthur or something?" I asked Fang.

"What? No, Max. Yoda. We're playing Starwars."

Right… "Anyways, games over. Start cleaning."

"No," Fang said. "We will later."

Tabitha ran off upstairs, not say a word to any of them. I sighed, going and head and starting to pick up.

"Max, stop it. I told you, we'd do it later."

"No," I said, folding one of the blankets that was strewn across the living room floor. Cody crawled up to me and sat there, just watching.

"I said that we'll clean."

"And I said that I will now."

"Max, seriously, just go away," Fang said. "We'll do it, alright?"

"Why don't you want me to clean so badly, Fang?"

"Because you do enough."

"Right, whatever."

"Look, if you want to actually be helpful for once, go do some laundry."

Yeah, right. "No, Fang. I'm doing this."

"What is your issue?"

"No, what's yours?"

We had a stare off for a minute before Fang backed down.

"Come on, boys. Let's go play in Tyler's room."

"I'mma stay with Mommy," Lucas said as Fang and Tyler started off up the stairs. "Help her clean."

"Thank you," I told him. "You're a good helper."

"I know," he said, sitting down on the couch. I frowned.

"I thought that you were helping?"

He shrugged, laying down. "Naptime. Sorry."

Ugh.

* * *

"Wake up, Max."

I opened my eyes a little. "What time is it, Tyler?"

"I don't know."

"Is it even seven in the morning yet?"

"Nope."

I felt around for Fang so that he could deal with it, but he wasn't there. Great… "What do you want, Ty?"

"How do you know if someone's cheatin'?"

I sighed. "Get in bed."

He climbed into Fang's spot.

"Now who do you think is cheating?" I asked him.

"Dad. And maybe Alex too."

I sighed. "Why do you think that Fang's cheating?"

"Look," he said, handing me his phone.

"Tyler Reese, you little-"

"Just look at it."

I sighed, taking it from him. "What about it?"

He settled into my bad, now getting sleepy. "The pictures."

God, Fang, what do you have on here? Sighing, I started flipping through them. Tyler was glancing at them. Most were of the kids, some of the two of us. I was towards the end when Tyler perked up.

"That one!"

I stopped it. I didn't know this woman but, whatever. "Tyler-"

"Look at the other one."

So he's taking picture of some redhead that I've never met. I don't care. I really don't. There were some of him and her together too. Okay, now I'm a little mad.

"Tyler, this isn't any of your business."

"But, I have to know if he is so that I know if Alex is."

I sighed, looking at him. "I thought that Alex isn't your girlfriend?"

"She's not."

"Then how can she-"

"I'm her best friend. It's cheatin' if she don't tell me about someone."

"Who?"

"Some guy."

"What guy?"

Tyler frowned. "I don't know! I just know that she has someone else."

I kissed his head. "Talk to her when she gets back from her grandmother's, alright?"

"Okay."

"Now go to sleep."

"I can stay in here?" He asked me.

"Yep," I said, pulling the covers up around us. I laid there with him until he fell asleep. Then I got of bed, taking Fang's cell with me. I went into the living room and called Luther.

"Hello?"

"Luther, are you at work?"

"Yep."

"Is Fang there?"

"Yeah."

"Can I talk to him?"

Luther groaned, but did hand over the phone.

"Hello?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving for work at four?"

"Forgot," Fang said. "Why are you up?"

I ignored the question. "I found your phone."

"You did? Thanks."

Was it me or did he sound relieved? My stomach hurt. "Yeah. Tyler had it."

"Why?"

Now or never… "He thinks that you're cheating on me."

Fang was silent for a second. "Why?"

"He thinks that Alex is on him."

Fang laughed uneasily. "That's all?"

"Yeah, and those pictures on your phone."

His breath caught. "Max-"

"Fuck you, Fang. I freaking take care of your kids, stay with you through all the shit you put me through, and you-"

"Max, you don't even know-"

"No, I don't. And I don't want to. It's over."

"Max, what the hell-"

"No." I hung up Fang's phone before throwing it. Melodramatic, yes. Did I care? Nope.

I had just gotten back into bed with Tyler and was starting to fall asleep when Fang came storming into the room. He woke up Tyler.

"Get out, Tyler," Fang told his son.

"No," I said back. "Don't, Ty. You're fine."

"I said to leave," Fang repeated.

"No," I said again.

Tyler's love to me didn't out weigh his fear of his father. He jumped out of bed and ran away, closing the door behind me.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yelled at my husband, for now anyways.

"Why were you going through my phone?"

I glared at him. "Your son gave it to me. How he got it is between you and him. He just came to me to show me them. Not his fault that you're a cheater."

"I'm not a cheater!"

"Then what are you taking photos of some random woman for?"

"Why are you so mad about this?"

"Why can't you answer my questions?"

He took a deep breath. "I don't have to answer to you. I didn't do anything wrong."

"Fine," I said, throwing his phone at him.

"What does that mean?"

I got up and went over to the closet. "Come here."

"Max-"

"No, Fang," I said. "You're going to need this stuff."

I started throwing his shirts off the hangers, then throwing the hangers themselves at him.

"What the hell? You're going to-"

"Get the hell out."

"This is my house."

I threw one last hanger at him. "Won't be after the divorce."

"Max, you are blowing this way out of proportion."

"Am I? Then tell me what those photos mean."

"They don't mean anything!"

"Then tell me who she is!"

"Why do you fucking care?"

"Don't you curse at me."

"You do at me."

I crossed my arms, wishing that I had another hanger, better yet a knife. "Did you sleep with her?"

"Max-"

"Get out."

"You're not even going to-"

"Just get out!" I was yelling louder than I ever had. Fang left, slamming not only the bedroom door but the front door on the way out. Then I had the kids to deal with. That wasn't nearly as bad as knowing that Fang slept with another woman, and that Tyler's a thief. So one weighs out the other, but hey.

* * *

"One, two, three, four-"

"Damien, she can not talk yet. I highly doubt that counting is in her near future."

He didn't stop counting on her fingers.

"Damien-"

"Cameron, I'm talking to our baby. So what?"

She kept eating breakfast. "What time is it?"

"Almost eight."

"No work?"

"Not today."

"Hmmm…"

"What?"

"Nothing," Cameron said. "I was just thinking about some stuff."

He glanced at her. "Like what, baby?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, Cammie."

"Just jobs and stuff."

"You still want to get another job?"

"I might," Cameron said, still thoughtful.

Damien had to smile. Maybe things were finally getting better. Samantha, who was already finished eating, got bored with counting.

"Nah!"

Picking her up, Damien said, "Look how messy you got, Sam. You're dirty. You got your food all over you."

He took her to the sink and got a washcloth to wash her face. She made noises, not liking this.

"Damien, get Peter fresh water."

"Can you hold Sam?"

"No," Cameron said, putting her plate in the sink. "And don't forget the dishes."

"No thank you?"

Nope.

* * *

Fang and I are undergoing a 'separation'. Whatever that means. It's only been a week but I'm already over it. Not the other woman thing, the away from each other thing. I will never forgive him. Never.

"And I want a new kitty, and a new-"

"Lucas, for the last time, it's Cody's birthday. In no way does that mean that you are getting presents."

He frowned. "I miss Daddy."

"Stop," Bone said, going to pick him up.

I sighed, picking up Cody and making him tell me how old he was just to distract myself. I had told Luther to tell Fang that he could pick the kids up and take them out to dinner, later tonight. We were having Cody's party early so that they would be hungry when Fang took them. If this is how divorced people live, I don't want to be one.

"Two," Cody told me.

"That's right," I said, giving him a kiss. "Who's cute? Huh?"

"Me," my pushy three year old answered from Bone's arms. "I'm smart too."

I rolled my eyes before looking around for Tabitha. Tyler was happy that his dad was gone this week, and the other two boys had noticed his absence but weren't concerned with it. I think it was hurting Tabitha the worst. Tyler just figured that he'd be back sometime next week, but Tabitha knew what was going on. She always knows what's going on. It's not fair to her. She had just been getting used to life without Tommy too.

I found her play with Samantha. Damien was here, but Cameron wasn't. He told me that she was starting to leave the house, but only if he was going to the store. And even then, she'd just stay in the car. At least she's out of the house, though. Besides, worrying about her took the pressure off of me worrying about my marriage.

It was then that the door opened. Everyone was here, or so I thought.

"Fang," I said, standing up. I almost ran to hug him and tell him that I missed him, but I didn't. He did the unforgivable. That's the end of it. "I told you that you weren't allowed to come."

"No you didn't," he said, staring evenly at me. He really thought that he did no wrong. Unbelievable.

"Well, Luther was supposed to."

A barely audible oops was heard. Damn Luther.

Fang sighed. "I can leave and-"

"Daddy!" Lucas jumped from Bone's lap and ran to him. Fang smiled, picking him up.

"Hey, Lucas."

The three year old cleared his throat. "Okay, now that you're here, I want a new kitty, a new…"

Lucas kept going but I left the room. Fang can be here. I don't care. I'm just not going to be around him. I went to my bedroom. Before I could even lay down, Mom walked in.

"Max, you need to talk to him."

I glared at her. "Of course. Always take his side."

"No, not always take his side," she said, but then she frowned. She hated speaking incorrectly. "What I meant was, I do not always take his side."

"Really? That's hard to believe."

"Max, you don't even know what happened. He could have-"

"Mom, he had pictures of her on his phone."

"Of what?"

"Just of her, some with his arm around her. Just in poses that he shouldn't have been it. It was like they were on a date. Worse yet, he never even told me that he was with this woman. While I thought he was at one of his stupid comic thingies, he was out with her!"

My mother took in a breath. "Though what you've told me looks bad, it doesn't meant that he had…relations with her."

God. Relations sounded so much worse than just saying sex. "I'll be glad to take your freaking advice when you've dealt with a husband that slept around."

"I have."

I frowned. "Your husband-"

"Yes."

"And you stayed with him?" This was beyond my comprehension. I thought that the only women that were on shows like Jerry Springer and Maury stayed with cheating men. My mother was smart, sophisticated, though sometimes a little cold, she was all together high class on a middle class budget. It didn't make any sense.

"Yes," she said, not meeting my eyes. Then she did and it was like a stab in the heart. "Max, if you're not…satisfying your man-"

"What?"

She huffed. "If you and Fang aren't having sex-"

"God, Mom!" I was so far past pissed right now that I might as well have been on Pluto. "Why is that the same excuse all fucked up women use?"

"That is not an excuse. If you and Fang aren't having sex regularly-"

"Stop saying that! God. We are. You want a text message every time from now on? Oh wait, then you would never get one because I am never going near his cheating ass again. That'll make you happy, right?"

She shook her head. "Max, I don't know why you are making this all into such a big deal. And a public affair on top of that. I didn't go around telling everyone at my work that my husband-"

"Please, they were all too busy ruining kids lives by taking them from caring families to concern themselves with your issues."

She looked like she was going to hit me. "Maximum Ride-"

"No," I said, completely done with this whole thing. "You always make fucking excuses for Fang. Always. Who was the one that was out having premarital sex and got a girl pregnant?"

"Last time I checked, you were pretty promiscuous too."

"Yeah, with birth control and condoms!"

"Max?" Tabitha opened the bedroom door. I took a deep breath.

"Tabitha, go play with your dad and brothers, okay?"

"No," she said, coming into the room. "I want to be with you."

She ran to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Dr. Martinez's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry," Tabitha said.

"For what?" I asked, running my hands down her head.

"Telling."

"On who?" Mom asked her.

"Dad."

I frowned. "Baby, Tyler brought me the phone."

She looked up at me like I was crazy. "I gave it Tyler. He didn't understand until I explained to it to him, like, five times."

Staring hard at her, I asked, "How did you know what was on the phone?"

"I heard Luther and Dad talking. I don't want him to be with someone else," she whined. "Then Tyler'll die."

Picking her up was hard but manageable. I rubbed her back as she cried. "What do you mean?"

"'Cause then you and Dad'll get a divorce," she said through sobs and hiccups. "Then you'll get back together and then you'll break up again and then Tyler'll die!"

I couldn't tell her that we weren't getting a divorce anymore, as I wasn't even sure, but I wasn't going to jump ship so soon. "Tabitha, I'm not Mary, your father's not Trent, and Tyler is not Tommy."

"I wish he was," she kept crying.

I didn't know what else to do but soothe her. Then I realized something. Luther knew. That meant he probably told Bone too. Damien was also a possibility. They all knew and never told me. I sat down on the bed and started crying along with her.


	17. Chapter 17

Living

Chapter 17

Cameron yawned, laying down in bed. It was another week since Cody's part and she felt slightly bad about skipping it. "What time is it?"

"Still only ten," Damien said. "Already going to bed?"

"Ten's late."

Damien shrugged. "If you say so."

She smiled at him. "Guess what."

"What?"

She laid her hand on his chest. "I love you."

He smiled a little. "I love you too."

"Good," she said. "Now, did you know?"

"Know what?"

"About Fang and this woman."

He sighed. "No, of course not. How did you find out?"

"Max calls me like every freaking week and leaves messages on my phone."

"Really?"

"Yes." Cameron was trying to sound annoyed but she was finding it hard. It was actually a very thought full think to do, especially considering her own problems at the moment.

"I think that it's sick what he did."

Cameron rolled her eyes at Damien. "He didn't do anything. Or at least that we know of. If he did sleep with this woman, fine, Max is right. If he didn't, then it is what it is."

"What do you mean?" Damien asked. "You can cheat just by thinking. You don't have to be having sex to be cheating on your wife. Just him going out with this woman was wrong."

"No. Maybe they were just friends."

"If they were just friends, he should have told her," he said. "Clearly, Fang thought about doing something with her."

"He's your boy, Damien. You shouldn't be dogging him."

He frowned at his wife's word choices. "I don't care if he's my friend or not. Wrong is wrong. Sin is sin."

"I bet all they did was kiss."

Damien's eyes widened. "You think that they actually kissed? God, he did cheat."

"Kissing and sex are two different things."

"Not for me. That first time we kissed on the lips I almost came in my pants."

And that's where the conversation ended for Cameron. She closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Damien."

He smiled, seeing that she was still on his chest. "Goodnight."

They were only asleep a few minutes when Cameron's house phone rang. Damien groaned.

"I've got it, Damien," she said, getting out of bed. "Hello?"

It was like deja vu for Damien. All over again, Cameron was a crying mess. She hung up the phone.

"Goddamn it!"

He jumped out of bed. She shouldn't curse like that. Giving God a last name was a horrible thing to do. "Cameron-"

"No!" She yelled at him. Damien was amazed that they baby still hadn't been awakened. He pulled her to him, even though she fought him. He dragged her to the bed, making her lay down.

"What happened?"

She looked at him. "Trent."

"What about him?"

"He, he committed suicide."

"While he was in jail?"

She had trouble with the next words. "He rammed his head against the cell wall. Over and over and over. Mary was the one who called. She-She-"

She was crying hard now. Damien pulled her to him, holding her.

"Cameron-"

"No."

"Shhh," he whispered. "Be quiet and I'll tell you a story."

She wasn't quiet. Hey, at least he tried. Then she was just still. She was sleeping. He gave her a kiss on the side of the head.

* * *

We sat across from each other for the first time since the 'separation'. Fang was just staring at me as I looked hard at the menu.

"You're going to get what you always get."

"Shut up, Fang."

He sighed. "I thought that we came here to talk, not you look at the menu."

I finally looked up. "I called you here to tell you something."

"Hmmm?"

I looked away from him for a minute. How do you say that I'm two months pregnant and I never want to see you again all in the same sentence? "I-I want the same thing I always get."

He gave me a funny look. "I figured you would."

"Yeah," I said as the waitress came to take our orders. After she left, I no longer had the menu to hide behind.

"How are the kids?"

"Fine."

"Is Cody been asking about me?"

I looked around the place. "No, not really. He wakes up crying sometimes."

"And Luke?"

"He's more concerned with the fact that he actually didn't get a single gift, not even from Bone."

Fang smiled a little. "Ty?"

"He's happy."

His smile faded. Whatever. He's ruined my life; I'm not going to let him have any joy. "What about Tabitha?"

I looked hard at him. "She's the reason I know."

"Tyler's the one that-"

"Fang, think about it. Tyler get frustrated when he can't figure out how to tie his shoe and has tried twice already. He wouldn't have sat there and thought of that. Tabitha overheard you and Luther."

"Max-"

"No," I said. "I knew that they were all your friends. I knew it. None of them liked me because of me. They liked me because I was with you and they had to. I don't care. I quit my job, too."

"I know," Fang said. "It's fine. I'll just get another one again and you can-"

"Fang, you're not getting it," I said. "There's no longer an us. My plans don't include you unless the kids are involved."

He frowned. "Max, stop, okay?"

"No, you stop."

"I don't know what you want me to do."

"Tell me what the pictures mean."

"They don't mean anything."

"You're such a lying, little-"

The food came. We ate in silence for a minute.

"Remind me to tell the waitress that we want a split bill."

Fang frowned. "Why?"

"I'm paying with my credit card and-"

"I'm paying for you, Max," Fang said, rolling his eyes.

"No, you are not."

"Yes, I am. I always do."

"Fang, we're not on a date. We're not even together."

He glanced at my hands before back at my face. "You still wear your ring. I've still got mine."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Did she know that you were married?"

"Max, just drop it, alright?"

"Did she know that I'm pregnant?"

"I wasn't seeing her before Cody was born."

"I wasn't talking about then. I'm talking about now."

Fang's eyes found mine. "You're messing with me."

"No," I said. "I went to the doctor yesterday. Two months."

He smiled. "Maybe it'll be a girl this time."

"Doesn't matter. You won't live in the same house with her."

"Max, stop."

"No."

We ate for awhile. When we were both done, we sat there for a second, waiting for the check. Shocking me, Fang reached out and laid his hands over mine. What was more stunning was that I didn't pull away.

"I love you," he told me. "I love our kids. I love our new baby. Max, I just love everything."

I looked away. "I miss you."

He smiled, stroking my hands now. "You're my wife, Max. For better or for worse. This is the worse right now, but it'll get better."

Why was I falling for this? I shouldn't be falling for this. "I can't be in the same house with you."

"Yes, you can."

"The thought of you being in my bed makes me sick."

He still was all smiles. "Then I'll sleep on the couch, the floor, or with one of the kids. Hell, Tanks doghouse is fine with me at this point. Max, I just want to be ate home. With you. With the kids. With the baby."

"I hate you," I whispered, staring at the nothing, anything but him.

Fang moved his head around until he forced our eyes to meet. "I love you. With all my heart."

How many times have we said that through the years? To the kids, to each other. With all my heart. What did it even mean?

I stared at him. My mind went numb. I was letting him back in. I shouldn't but I was. I don't know why. He clearly cheated, right? That was my number one rule. You cheat, you're gone. What would I be teaching the kids if I let him in? Especially Tabitha. I felt so wrong, but I loved him. I even let him pay for the check! I hate life.

* * *

Luther was watching my kids when I got home. He didn't look happy when I walked through the door with Fang and his bag of clothes. I had followed him to Luther's house in my car so that we could get his stuff.

"Hi, Daddy," Lucas said, running over to him. Fang sat his stuff down and picked him up. Tabitha cuddled against Luther, as if she was hiding from Fang.

"Hey, bubba," Fang said, giving him a kiss. Tyler and Alex ran up the stairs. "Tyler!"

"No!" He yelled and then I heard his bedroom door slam. Even Alex wasn't giggling. Fang sat Lucas on the ground to go pick up Cody, who was in Luther's lap.

"Hey, Code," Fang said, kissing him. Cody patted Fang's face.

"Hi," he said. "Nap?"

Fang laughed before setting him back down. "Tabitha, don't I get a hug?"

"Are you home now?"

"Yeah, baby."

She looked up at Luther. "Can I stay with you now?"

"Tabitha-"

"No, I want to be with you, Luther."

He sighed. "Baby, I have to go to work. I'll check on you later tonight, okay?"

After giving her a kiss, he left the house. Fang wasn't happy but he wasn't letting it show. He tried to kiss Tabitha but she got up and ran off. Lucas happily climbed into her spot on the couch.

"You can give me a hug," he told his father, holding out his arms. Fang did so.

"Fang," I said, running my hand down his arm. "Maybe you should go talk to them."

"Don't tell me what to do, Max," he said. I frowned.

"If you don't want to hear what I have to say, maybe you should go ahead and walk right back out the door."

Fang turned to face me. He kissed me on the lips and then on the head. "Never."

* * *

I was in bed, trying to fall asleep, when Fang walked in. "Fang, I said that you were going to sleep on the couch."

"I know, Max, I'm going to brush my teeth."

I settled back into the bed. As he was in there, I spoke to him again. "Fang?"

"Hmmm?"

"You still have so much to explain."

He spit in the sink. "Max-"

"No, Fang," I said. "You're going to tell me everything I want to know. Right now."

"But-"

"If you don't," I said, talking right over him, "you won't be my husband anymore."

He stared at me, walking closer to the bed. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

Sighing, he began. "I met her a Heroclix tournament. I mean, come on, Max. You saw her. She was hot and was into all the stuff I was into. And she had red hair."

I felt like crying. He was listing the attributes of his dream girl. I wasn't any of those. Fang kept going.

"I didn't mean to even start going out with her. I really didn't. It just happened," he said, shrugging a little.

"She knew that you were married," I stated, not even asking.

Fang nodded. "I never take off my ring, Max. I swear I don't."

"And? You still slept with that woman." I was crying now. Damn. Fang got into bed. I was too weak and upset to fight him off as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Max, you're right."

God, he did sleep with her.

He still held me. "But I didn't sleep with her."

"What?" I looked up at him through my teary eyes. "Yes, you did, Fang Shadows. Don't you lie to me."

He kissed my head. "I'm not, Max. I'm not."

Moving down the bed, he stopped at my legs. "Max, do you remember that time that we were fighting?"

He was going to have to be more specific than that.

"Remember? We had gone out to eat that night and had sex. You had that cut on your leg. I asked about it. You said that you fell."

"So what?"

He kissed my leg. "You got a scar from playing with my kids, Max. Our kids. She'll never have that."

He moved up a little. "Your hands have picked up toys, massaged my back when it was tight, rubbed Tyler's stomach after he's thrown up. She'll never do that."

I watched as he moved up to my face. "You have that scar where your fell when we were at the School. Then that one where we were twelve and I accidentally hit you in the face with a knife. Remember? I cut you really bad and thought that you were dying? She'll never have any of those memories."

He reached out and wiped some of my tears away. "And your eyes, she'll never have those. They're beautiful. I love looking into them. You've seen everything, Max. You've gone through hell and back, yet you can still look at our babies like they're the best thing in the world. And what about your voice? You can yell and scream at me and then go and tell Lucas and Cody a bed time story. She doesn't have that. She never will."

After giving me a new kiss, he moved down the bed again, this time stopping at my stomach. "The most important thing is here, Max. Your tummy."

I sniffled. "What?"

"Yeah," he said, lifting up my shirt to kiss my stomach. "You've kept three of my babies in there. And I know that if you could, you would Tyler and Tabitha too. It hurts not having them be yours, right? When Tabitha says those things about how you're not her mom. That's a lie. You are her mom. You're all my kids mom. And we can't forget the one that you have in there right now. She'll _never_ have one my children in her."

He kept kissing my stomach. "Max, those are the reasons I could never sleep with her. Never."

I was still crying, but I wasn't sure about what anymore. Maybe it was about his almost cheating, or maybe the fact everything he had said was so sweet. It didn't mean that I was happy. I just…I don't know.

Fang came back up and pulled me to him. He kissed the side of my head.

"Do you want me to dye my hair?" I croaked out. God, I sounded so weak and stupid. I shouldn't be saying that. Who gives a fuck about what he thinks.

"No," he said, sounding disgusted. He buried his nose in my hair, smelling it. "I love your hair. When you die it blonde, when it's brown, when you cut it short. I like what you like in your hair. I don't want you doing red for me. You shouldn't do anything for me."

He's right. I cuddled against him, still crying. Fang kissed me again. "You know what else, Max?"

"What?"

He moved so that his mouth was on my ear. "She doesn't have nearly as cute of ears as you."

Fang started basically making out with my ear. His tongue was licking it, he was kissing it. It made me shiver and stop crying. I was also embarrassed. When was the last time I cleaned out my ears? No way it tasted good. Fang didn't seem to mind. After awhile, he stopped and started rubbing my stomach. He did that until I fell asleep.

* * *

I missed Fang, sure. But it was just certain things that I missed the most. Like how at night, I could be sound asleep and still wake up when he crawled into bed. Or how when we were watching TV, he would wrap his arm around my shoulders and just hug me. Then there's the way he'll just show up at work with food. Not for anyone but me. The thing that I missed most though was waking up in the morning.

Sometimes, he'd be on his back, still asleep. Then I could curl against him and just rest. Other times, he'd have pulled me to him at some time in the night. He'd already be awake, just whispering in my ear. Or the times when he was just lay there, talking to God like I wasn't in the room. He used to pray about Tyler but, more recently, about Tabitha. Sometimes, he'd even talk about Lucas.

This morning, it was none of those. Fang had me pulled to him still and was awake, but he wasn't talking.

"You were supposed to sleep on the couch," I told him. Fang kissed my head.

"I wanted to stay near you, Max."

I took a deep breath. "Fang?"

"Hmmm?"

"I have more questions."

He groaned. "Baby-"

"Fang, you're the one that did wrong, not me."

"Fine. Ask."

"Did Bone know?"

He shook his head. "No, Max. He didn't. I know that you haven't been talking to him since Cody's party. You know that I don't like Bone, but you really need to talk to him. He's going crazy."

I sighed. "I'll talk to him later."

"When?"

"When I go to the store. I'm going to see about getting my job back."

Fang said nothing on that. "Anymore questions?"

"When's the last time you saw her? Are you still seeing her?"

"No. God, no," Fang said. "I saw her last about a month before you found out. I broke it off. She wanted sex. I thought about it, even met her to do it, but I couldn't."

I stopped breathing for a second. "Luther knew."

Fang hesitated. "Max, you-"

"What did he know, Fang?"

He let a breath slowly. "Everything. He…supported me."

"What?"

Fang gave me a kiss. "He's just looking for someone to be like him, to cheat like him. Now that Bone's not doing it, he needs someone else to justify it with."

I was dead inside. All the times Luther said how I deserved better. I cuddled more into Fang. Luther's more dead to me than when I just thought that he knew. Now I know he wanted it. He needed Fang to cheat. That makes me sick.

"You should go make breakfast," I told Fang. "Try and talk to Ty and Tabitha a little. They're upset."

He kissed my head. "Max, I just need to know that you're okay. That we're okay."

I looked up at him. "How long had you been seeing her?"

Taking in another breath, he said, "Since October."

"How often?"

"Randomly. Not very often."

"You know how many times total?"

He shook his head. "Not for sure, no. Once a month, some times not even that."

"You get her a Christmas present?"

"No, Max. No."

"She get you one?"

"She tried to give me something but I wouldn't take it."

I looked up at him. "You're told her it's over?"

"Yes. Before you even found out."

"Those pictures-"

"Gone. Deleted."

"What was her name?"

He looked down at me. "Ren Trex."

I closed my eyes again. "You can go now."

He kissed my cheek. "Ren Shadows sounds like shit, huh?"

"Go away."

He kissed me again. "I'm sorry, Max."

I stared at him. "I can't trust you."

"I know," he said, running a hand down my face. "I don't expect you to, not any time soon anyways."

He kissed me one more time before leaving. I don't get it. How could he do this to me? Why would he do this to me?

* * *

Samantha watched her parents as they argued. While watching, she was sucking joyfully on her blankie. It was soft. Her daddy gave it to her. He was nice. Except for now.

"Cameron, what do you want me to do?"

"Just leave me alone!"

"You know that I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. It's called taking that damn baby and walking out of the house!"

"Don't curse at or about my baby."

"Then leave!"

Samantha started crying. Damien went to comfort her.

"Shut the fuck up!" Cameron yelled at the baby. She didn't know why Damien even brought her into the bedroom with him. All it ever did was cry. Stupid thing.

"Don't yell at her," Damien said, bouncing the baby. "You're the reason that she's crying."

"Just get her the hell away from me."

Sam stopped crying as her daddy took her into her bedroom. He gave her a kiss on the head.

"Nah!"

"No," he said, laying her down. "You're going to take a nap early, okay? Daddy has something to go take care of. Night-night."

She whined a little before laying down. Damien went back to Cameron. She was in bed, her back to the door.

"Cameron, come on."

"No, you come on. My brother is dead."

"He killed our nephew."

"Shut up!"

He got into bed with her, pulling her to him, having flashbacks of the night before. "Cameron, stop crying, okay? Please. Yell at me, hit me, do whatever, just stop crying. I hate crying."

"And I hate-"

"When I was a baby, my real mom left us. She was a drug addict. My father's parents kicked him out and made him take me too. He lived in a one room apartment, no job, and a baby."

"What are you-"

"Trinity lived next door. She needed money to make rent. She offered to baby sit for him while he was at work. Even before Trinity and my dad started dating, I was her baby. She would take me and Tammie places and treat me like her son. Eventually, her and my dad did start dating."

"I don't-"

"It was real Christian like, though. He was strict and mean. Tammie didn't like him much, and they say that he made me cry a lot. Mom loved him tough, so it's okay," Damien said, smiling. "They didn't live together till they were married, of course. He made her be baptized and everything before he'd even call her his girlfriend."

Cameron gave up on trying to find a point and just started listening.

"They had a small wedding. Only her family came."

"Why? His parents were still mad about you?"

"No," Damien said. "They were dead."

"I'm sorry."

He kissed the back of her head. "He doesn't talk about it a lot. I guess that he doesn't have any other family. I've never met any."

"What about that grandfather? Was his Trinity's father?"

"I'm getting to that," he said, running his hand down her stomach. "Her family liked me. They had to. Like I said, even before they were dating, she took me places. For free too. Eventually, she wasn't making him pay her at all for taking care of me. She says that she knew that I was her baby before she even thought of my father as cute."

"Of course," Cameron said dryly. Her mother never called her her baby. She didn't even recognize her as her child. She had a nanny once that was good to her and said she was like the daughter she never had. Then her mother found out about it and fired the poor old woman.

Damien ignored her bitterness. "I like her father. I call him my grandfather. But he's not the one. The one I'm talking about is Sara's father."

"How do you know him?"

"How do you think, Cameron?"

She was mad at him again. "Well sorry for asking, you jerk."

He sighed. "He found me. He was looking for me. My dad didn't want me to have anything to do with him but Trinity said that it would be good for me, that I spend too much time with only her family. So, she sent me and Tammie down to his farm. It was awesome. Tammie hated it. She hated him. She said that she liked me and all, but my father was enough of my family for her."

Settling into his arms, Cameron asked, "Whatever happened to him?"

"He died when I was ten."

She ran a hand down his arm. "I'm sorry, Damien."

He shrugged. "It's just, he was the only person that ever really cared about me, except for my mom. She babied me, but he was…he just cared about me different."

She was silent for a moment. "I still hate this."

He kissed the back of her head. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

I told Fang that I was going over there with the intention to get my job back. I was lying.

"You two are back together?" Bone stood up as I walked in with Fang.

I ignored him and his anger. My eyes were set on one prize. Castrating Luther. Or something along those lines.

"Luther," I said, going over to the counter. "Guess what?"

"What? You want your job back?"

"Nope." I slapped him, hard. "Don't you ever help my husband cheat on me again."

"You what?" Bone turned on him. Fang grabbed me.

"What the hell, Max?"

"Shut up, Fang," I said, trying to push him away. Fang wasn't having it.

Luther pushed past Bone, trying to get at me. "You little bitch. I told him to just divorce you, not cheat! I was helping."

"Hardly," I said as Fang tried to drag me away. He couldn't pull me very far, so he just picked me up. "Hey."

"Shush," he said, carrying me out of the store. As we left, Bone punched Luther. He was mad.

Fang carried me all the way to the car. We had left Mom with the kids, so we had the rest of the afternoon to ourselves. Setting me on the ground, Fang told me to get in the car.

"No, I'm going to kick his-"

"Stop, alright?" Fang opened the door and forced me inside. "Just calm down."

I huffed as he shut my door. "Where are we going now?"

"Where ever you want, babe," he said, getting in. We were in his car. I suddenly felt a stab in the heart.

"Fang?"

"Yes?"

"Was she…I mean…"

"I never drove her in my car, no," he said, starting to pull away. "Now, where to?"

I leaned back against the seat. Good. So she hadn't messed with my territory. Notice I say territory. Fang's car was his, but this seat was mine. Did that mean that the passenger seat in my car was his? No, of course not.

"Where to, Max?"

I sighed. "I don't know. My stomach is just kind of bugging me today."

He glanced at me. "Is it the baby? You need me to pull over?"

"No, I'm fine, really."

He sighed. "You want to go to the mall? I'll buy you anything."

"You can't buy my trust."

"I wasn't trying…never mind. Do you want to go see a movie?"

"Everything out sucks."

He groaned loudly. Oh God. That's why he went with her. She does stuff. I just like to stay at home, eat, have sex, and watch Maury. That made me upset again. I crossed my arms, trying to keep myself from crying.

"You okay over there?"

I sniffled. "I know why you like her better?"

"Tabitha? Because she's cuter."

"Don't play games with me, Fang."

He sighed. "I told you last night Max, it's all in the ears."

"She does stuff with you. She goes places with you. I just eat and get fat."

"Max, for the last time, you are not fat!"

"See? We're fighting. I would cheat on my too."

He sighed, staring straight ahead. "Max, don't do this to me."

"Do what?"

"I know that you're upset, but I'm not as strong as you. You'll really make me cry."

I didn't think that I had the capability. "What am I doing, Fang?"

"Guilt tripping me."

I shook my head. "I am not, Fang. I get it. I'm great and all, but I'm boring."

He pulled into a gas station. After unbuckling his seatbelt, he turned to face me. "Max, you are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Don't start with this self-pity shit. I love you. I can't imagine life without you. While I was out of the house, I was crying at Luther's house, not out picking up women."

I stared at him. "You cried for me?"

He looked torn. "Promise you won't make fun of me?"

I nodded."

"I cry a lot. Those things you say, how Tyler acts, the way Tabitha treats you, Tommy being gone and how it's hurting Tabby, it all kills me, Max."

I stared at him. "You know what my mom said?"

"What?"

"That you cheated because I wasn't giving you enough sex."

We both laughed. Then Fang kissed my head. "It's not your job to give me anything, Max."

I leaned against him for a minute. "Wanna go in the store and get me a soda and some candy?"

"It's the least I can do," he said, getting out of the car. I leaned against the window for support. He's back in my life. I can't believe it. How could I have taken him back so easily? That's not my normal self at all. What happens when he does it again? What if he really does have sex with her?

Fang came back to the car. "Got you two candies."

"Why?"

"One for you," he said, giving me a kiss on the head. Then he kissed my stomach. "And one for the baby."

I shook my head. "Did you fix things with the other kids?"

Fang sighed. "Well, Alex forgives me. That has to count as something, right?"

I shrugged. "Like half a point, maybe."

"Alright, I'm in the lead."

I smiled at him, hiding the pain that I still felt on the inside.

* * *

Bone wrapped his arms around Victoria. "Sorry."

She huffed. "This is the second date that you forgot."

"Call."

"I tried to," she complained, pushing him away from her. "Your phone was off."

Oh no, what if Max called? Bone held his worry down for the time being. "In?"

"You want to come in? You stood me up-"

"Fight."

"With who?"

"Luther."

"Why?"

Bone frowned, feeling his anger boil back up. "He was trying to get Fang to sleep around!"

His yelling was going to attract attention. She pulled his into her apartment. "So?"

"That's my sister, Victoria!"

"Don't you yell at me, Artemis. You stood me up."

He sighed, kissing her head. "Love?"

"Yes, I love you."

"Come."

"Where?"

"Apartment," he said. "See dogs. Pick up food."

"On the way?"

He nodded before hesitating. "S-Sorry."

"For not calling to tell me that you weren't gong to pick me up?"

He nodded. "Sure you still don't want to go out? Missed movie, but go bowling."

"No," she said. "Let's go see your dogs."

He smiled a little. "Got rid of the rats."

"Finally," she said, following him away from her place.


	18. Chapter 18

Living

Chapter 18

I have never had morning sickness this bad. I mean, sure, with Cody, my stomach was upset, but I didn't puke this much. I laid my head in Fang's lap.

"Hey," he said, turning the news down a little. "You alright?"

"Just been throwing up."

He frowned. "Are you sick?"

"It's just the baby."

He reached down and started rubbing my stomach. Tyler and Alex walked into the room. Fang has been back for over a week, but Tabitha and Tyler still were mad at him.

"Max, are you okay?" Tyler said, going over to me.

"Fine, Ty. It's just my stomach is upset."

"Why?"

We hadn't told anyone that I was pregnant. Well, I did tell Cameron, through the phone of course. I left a message about it. She hadn't called me back but I knew she'd never mention it to anyone without my permission.

"No reason," I said, cuddling against Fang. "Go play."

He glared at his father. "Come on, Alex. Let's go _play_."

"Why'd you say play like that?" She asked, following him.

"For effect."

"You gave me a disease?"

"No, Alex. That's infect."

"Oh," she said.

Fang looked down at me. "I've got work soon."

I pouted. "I hate you still working there."

"I know," he said. "Hey, I've been looking for a second job."

Fang had decided that I wasn't going to work at all anymore. I wasn't so sure about it, but I was letting him dream.

"That's nice."

He leaned down and gave me a kiss. "Here, one of your judge shows is on."

I closed my eyes. "I am so tired."

Getting up, Fang went and got me a blanket and pillow. "Here, baby."

"Thanks," I said.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. "I'll make you something."

I still wasn't comfortable around Fang. Some days I wake up and force myself to forget. I try to make it like before. Then I have days like today when that's not possible. Why would she mess with a married man? That was one of my rules when I was dating after Kevin died.

"I just want you to cuddle with me."

He shook his head. "I'm about to be late for work."

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Whatever."

"Max, I would but-"

"How do I even know that you're going to work?"

"Max, don't start, alright."

"Fang, you don't get to tell me what to say and what not to. You did this, not me."

"You can't keep hounding me for it!"

"I sure as hell can. If you don't like it, leave."

Fang was breathing heavy. I didn't even open my eyes.

"Stop, alright?"

"What, Fang? You can't take the truth?"

"Max-"

"Fang, you don't set the rules anymore," I told him. "I do."

"What do you want me to do?"

I didn't know. I still didn't open my eyes. "Just go to work and leave me alone."

He walked over to me and gave me a kiss. "Go to sleep, baby. I'll bring home food for you, but you need to feed the kids."

His tone had changed to soft. What was up with him?

* * *

Luther was texting when Fang got there.

"Hey," Fang said, sitting down next to him.

"Hey," Luther said, glancing at him. "No kids?"

"Max says that she doesn't want you anywhere around our kids."

"Like you are any better!"

Fang frowned. "I am better. They're my kids."

"You still wanted to cheat on her."

"Shut your fucking mouth."

"Why don't you make me?"

"Uh, sorry to…can you just check me out?"

Too late. Luther turned his attention to the girl in front of them. She was cute, nerdy cute. And wasn't fat. Major plus.

"Yeah, sure," Fang said, not at all interested in her. He just wanted to continue his fight with Luther.

"So, are you new around here or something?" Luther asked, taking her in. She had her hood up, but he could see the black hair underneath. She looked so innocent and cute. Besides, he loved hooking up with white girls. They were a good fuck.

"What?"

"You've never been in here before."

She frowned, handing Fang a twenty. "I normally go over to Ani-Freaks."

Luther rolled his eyes. "They suck."

"I know. They quit selling the manga I was looking for."

"Look," Luther said, grabbing a sheet of paper off the ground. He ripped off some of it, even though it was probably important, and started writing on the back. "This is my personal number. Anytime you need something, manga or not, call me. We're open 24/7."

She smiled at him, taking it. "Thanks."

Not liking this, Fang said, "Hey, Luther, I was wondering if you wanted to see James this weekend. Your ex was asking my wife about how you never go and see him anymore."

The look on the girl's face changed to one of disgusted. Fang handed over her change and she left.

"What the hell?" Luther turned his anger back on.

"You've ruined me and Max's relationship."

"Fine," Luther said. "We're even."

"Far from it."

* * *

"Why are you still mad?"

Tabitha pushed her fries around her plate. "I don't know."

"Sweetie, your dad's sorry. He won't do it ever again."

"That's what Mr. Trent said."

I groaned. Thinking about him made my stomach hurt even more. "Tabitha, for the last time, your father is not Trent."

She shrugged. "Want my fries?"

"God no," I said, shaking my head. "My stomach's upset."

"'Cause of the baby," she said.

"How did you-"

"I'm going to go play with my drums," she said, jumping down from her chair. She pushed her plate over to me, regardless of the fact I just flat out told her I didn't want the fries. "I know you'll eat 'em anyways."

She was right.

After I was done, I went to find Lucas. He had finished eating first and hadn't even stayed around to see if anyone had any scraps for him to eat. That was odd for him.

"Lucas?" I called, walking into the living room. He wasn't there. I checked his bedroom next. "Luke, what are you doing?"

He looked up. "Ty gaves them to me. You like my pictures?"

Somehow, someway he had gotten a hold of Fang's little comic thingies. I just stared at him for a minute. "Lucas, that's bad."

"Nope," he told me, still coloring. "Ty gaves them to me. You like?"

I shook my head. "Stop coloring in them."

He frowned. "Why? I'm an artist, Mommy. Learn to 'cept it."

"Tyler Reese!" I walked back down the hallway. "You get your butt down here right now!"

He and Alex came down the stairs. "What?"

"Why did you give your father's stuff to Lucas?"

He smiled. "It was an accident."

"Yeah? You tell that to him when he gets home."

Tyler hadn't thought of this. "What? No, Max! He'll yell at me."

"Good."

He stared crying, running back up the stairs. Alex told me bye before following him. Sighing, I went back into Cody and Lucas's room.

"Lucas, give me the comics, okay?"

He handed them over. "Daddy'll love 'em. Huh?"

I just patted his head. Cody, who had been sleeping in his crib, sat up. "Out!"

He could very well just climb out himself, but that took work. I picked him up. "You want to go watch TV with me?"

He shook his head. "James."

I carried him out of the room, Lucas coming out behind me. "What do you want to do, boys?"

"James," Cody repeated.

"Well, it's time for Tyra, so I think we can do without James today."

"Where's Daddy?" Lucas asked, climbing into Fang's chair. He had recently decided it was his. When he asked me if he could mark it as his own, I said no. He said that peeing on it was a very important part of life. I almost let him, after the shit Fang's done to me, but then he might want to pee on my couch. The horror.

"I've told you, he's at work."

"He's gonna come back, right?"

"Yes, Lucas."

He grabbed Fox as he walked bye. "Fox missed him. I didn't. I'm a big boy."

"You are?"

"Yep," he beamed. "Guess what I'mma be when I gets old?"

"A cat?"

He giggled. "No. I'mma be a soldier."

"For what?"

"The army, Mommy."

"No," I told him, trying to hold onto Cody as he wiggled to get down. "You're not."

"Yes!"

"Nope," I said. "That's dangerous."

That seemed to remind him of something. Lucas sat Fox down, none to gently, and got up.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he began to take off his shirt.

"My wings," he said, going over to me. "Look. They big. Go fly?"

I finally let Cody go so that I could pick up Lucas. Cody crawled over to his blocks and started playing with them.

"Why do you want to fly?" I asked. "It's not fun."

He nodded. "Lotsa fun. Trust me."

I find it hard sometimes. "Lucas, you've never flown. How would you know?"

"I'm smart," Lucas told me. "Axe Daddy."

"It's ask, Lucas. Not axe."

He frowned at me. "Shhh, Mommy. I'm talking."

I hit him in the back of the head. Not hard, just not soft either. He pushed my shoulder. "You're mean."

"I try."

He frowned, crossing his arms. "I like Daddy better."

"Good."

* * *

"Cameron?"

She opened her eyes a little. "What, Damien?"

"You want to go get something to eat?"

"What?"

He nodded. "I was going to take Sam to Mom's. I figured that while we were out, we could eat lunch or something."

"No," she said. "Just take her to your mother's and come back."

He sighed. "Fine."

She slept until he came back.

"Cameron?"

Yet again, she opened her eyes. "What?"

"I brought you food."

"What is it?"

"Taco Bell."

She looked at him for a second, frowning. "Damien?"

"What?"

"I don't want that," she said, that frown slowly turning into a smirk.

Damien wasn't catching on. "I guess I could go back out and get you something else, if you really want me to."

"No," she said. "What I want is you."

"For me to what?"

She groaned. "I want sex, Damien."

He choked on nothing. "What? I thought that you were still grieving?"

Frowning at him, she said, "What do you mean, grieving?"

He faltered. "I just thought that…I mean we haven't…with all that's happened-"

"Damien just come over here."

He frowned. "But our nachos will get cold."

"Now."

He got into bed with her. He didn't hate sex. He liked it, but not when he thought Cameron was still hurting.

Cameron ran a hand down his chest. "I saw my counselor yesterday."

"I know."

"She asked about how often we've had sex since Samantha's been born."

"So never."

She frowned at him. "Every time I've tried, you've made complaints."

"You tried to touch me."

"Most guys would like a hand job, Damien."

"I'm not most guys."

"You're telling me."

He sighed. "Let's just have sex, Cameron, if that's what you want."

"I want us to be okay."

"We're fine."

She sighed. "I just don't want us to be like Fang and Max."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want you to go out looking for a woman to have sex with."

"Cameron, if I can say so, Max and Fang had sex like five times a week. I don't think it was sex that made Fang do that."

She laid her head on the pillow. "Dr. Garcia said that you should come to a session again."

He sighed. He didn't like counseling. His father always told him that it was stupid and for the week. It seemed to help Cameron though. "I guess."

She reached down and unbuckled his belt. "Do you not like sex with me?"

"Sex with you is the best sex I've ever had."

"Seeing as you've only had sex with one other person, I don't find that hard to achieve."

"I love you though," Damien said as she pulled of his jeans. He was trying to keep his breathing in check. "That's what makes it the best."

"So if I ever died, you'd never have sex again?"

"I don't think I would."

"Yes, you would."

"No," Damien said. "I don't plan on it, anyways. Why would I? I love you, no one else."

She started on his shirt next. It had the Superman symbol on the front. "You're so stupid, you know."

"No," he said. "I think that I'm good to you and you just don't want to admit it."

She ignored that, giving him a kiss on the chest instead of responding. Damien ran a hand down her head before reaching down to pull off her shirt.

"I have to pick up Sam at eight."

"That's a long time from now," Cameron said, pushing him onto his back.

"I know."

* * *

Fang was pretending not to be mad at Lucas and Tyler. I could tell.

"You just can't play with my stuff, okay boys?"

"You don't likes me pic-ter?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah," Tyler agreed. "You don't like it?"

Fang looked up at the ceiling. "It's bedtime, boys."

He picked up Lucas and took him to his room. Tyler looked at me. "Do I have to go to bed?"

I sighed. "Where's Alex?"

"In my room."

"You two just get in bed and be quiet, okay? You don't have to sleep but stay in your room."

He smiled, running off. "Okay, Max."

After a few minutes, Fang came back into the room. "I need to replace those."

"The kids?"

"The comics, Max."

"Oh."

He came over to me and tried to kiss my head. I dodged him. "Max-"

"I just can't, Fang."

He sighed. "So I'm still sleeping on the couch?"

"Yes."

He shook his head. "I didn't do anything, Max."

"You tried to."

He took a deep breath. "Max, what about you and Bone?"

"What? What about us?"

"You spend way too much time with him."

"He thinks that I'm his sister!"

"And? I think his father proved that he has no problem with incest. Maybe it runs in the family."

I almost hit him. I swear I did. "Fang, get out."

"Might as well," he said. "You've already turned my kids against me."

"I did not!"

"Don't forget, Max. Tyler and Tabitha are my kids. You have no legal hold to them."

My words got all jumbled. "F-Fang-"

"You wanted me out, fine," he said, walking out the front door.

* * *

**July**

Fang and I were back our 'separation.' I told him that if he stayed with Luther, there was no way that we'd ever get back together. He was with my mom. Every Friday, we go out, just us. Sometimes, we'll go other days too, but usually just Fridays.

The fourth this year was weird. I spent it completely alone, as this year even James and Cody went to see the fireworks. Fang took all the kids. I told him I could do it, that he could just go to his superhero party, but he said no.

Now, it was late into July and Luther had gone off to Comic Con with Bone. They had to have someone to watch the store, so I got hired back. I still refuse to work with Luther though.

Today, I was at work with James and Cody while Fang took the other kids out. Tyler was fine with his dad again, just because he wasn't in the house. I don't think that Tyler was upset by the cheating, but by the fact Fang had come back home for a little while. He loves Fang, but he also likes to be without Fang.

As always, Tabitha was the opposite of her twin. She was really upset by Fang and this other woman. She still was. I think that if Tommy hadn't had died, it wouldn't have affected her as much. She was dealing with him being gone and now being forced to deal with the fact that me and Fang are trying to fix our relationship. It's hard for her and I wish that I could change it, but I can't. Oh, and, by the way, I don't give a fuck what Fang says. I am _not_ losing Tyler and Tabitha. Ever.

James took my attention by beginning to whine. Cody had taken one of his toys.

"Stop it," I said, giving the toy back to James. "You two play nice."

"Mommy," Cody complained before going back to his own toys. James giggled.

"Kitty," he said, petting one of the stuffed animals.

"Fox," Cody told his friend.

James had been tan as a baby, but he was starting to darken. Lucas found it funny to point out, but I was working on making him not point out what color everyone is. We'd go over to Damien's mom's house and he'd say black for Trinity and then point at Dan and say white. They don't say anything but to someone that doesn't find three year olds cute in their innocent ways might be offended.

At around five, Damien walked in. "Hi, Max."

"Dame!" James and Cody called out. He went behind the counter, sat Samantha on the ground, and gave them both hugs.

"Hi, Sam," I said, picking her up. Her hair was starting to grow out. I was hoping for Cameron's sake that it would get darker as she got older, but it was still just as blonde as ever. "Are you going out with Daddy today?"

She looked up at me. "Ah!"

Damien went back around the counter and went to the shelves, hiding him from Samantha's view. She began to cry.

"Shhh," I tried to sooth but it was no use.

"What's wrong?" Damien asked, coming back into sight. She sniffled, looking at him expectantly. Damien took her from me. "What'd you do?"

"Nothing," I said. "She was just upset that you left, that's all."

He moved her to one arm and went back to looking for his mangas. "Have you talked to my sister?"

"No," I said. "Not recently. Why?"

"She's gay again."

I glanced down at James. I don't have a problem with gays. I think that Carlos is the obvious proof of that. But I do think her deciding this after having James is wrong. He'll be teased all through out school because of that. Plus, I don't like Tammie to begin with so it's not exactly hard to hate her.

"Luther know?"

"Yep," Damien said. "He kicked her out."

That explains why I've had James at my house for awhile. Trinity just told me she thought he missed Cody. Yeah right.

"How's Cameron?" I asked Damien.

"Good," he said. "She really likes your phone calls, even if she won't admit it."

I shrugged. "Whatever."

Samantha started drooling. Damien sighed, bouncing her a little. "She's starting to teeth."

I smiled at him. "You're lucky. Lucas cried the whole time he was teething."

"She cries," Damien said, handing over his money. "She's just in a good mood today, I guess."

"That's good," I said, handing him his change.

"Yeah," he said, picking up his bag of books. "Say bye-bye, Sam."

She laid her head on his shoulder, not saying a word. Damien sighed.

"Bye boys," he called to his nephew and his friend before leaving.

At six, Fang came in with Tabitha.

"Hey," I said as he came to give me a kiss. Besides the fact that we own a house together and have children, we had gone back to the dating stage.

"Hey," he said, putting his forehead against mine. His breath smelled like tic-tacs. Not the nasty orange flavor but the power mint.

"Give me some," I ordered, holding out my hand.

"Max-"

"I was talking about tic-tacs."

He smiled again, reaching into his pocket. "Here. You can have the rest."

"Thank you," I said. "Where's Lucas?"

"At your mom's. He wants to spend the night with her. That's alright, right?"

"Yeah," I said, getting up. "Tyler?"

"At Alex's."

"Can you help me take Cody and James out to the car?" I asked, though Fang was already picking them up. Tabitha started picking up their toys. "Baby, you don't have to do that."

She shrugged, putting all the stuff back in the bag. Then she picked it up and walked out of the store. I sighed, following her.

"Bye," I told Fang, giving him a quick kiss.

"Remember," he said. "Tomorrow we're going to see that movie."

"I know," I said, running a hand down his arm. "Say bye, guys."

"Bye," James said. Cody was already falling asleep.

Fang smiled, kissing both of the boys. Tabitha climbed into the front seat. "Bye, Tabby."

She didn't say anything to him but did let him kiss her head.

Fang hugged me. "Call me if you need anything."

We always called each other at night. Around eleven, normally. We'd talk until we got tired.

"I will," I told him. "See you tomorrow."

"Alright," he said. With one more wave to the kids, he was gone. When we got to the house, I bathed the boys and put them to bed, I went to spend time with Tabitha.

"What are you watching?" I asked, sitting down next to her.

"CSI."

I took the remote. "Too old."

"Hey-"

"Tabitha, why don't you watch something else?" I asked, putting it on that talking sponge guy. "There."

"Dad says this show is bad."

"Why?"

"Because Spongebob is gay. That'll get you sent to hell."

"He is not gay."

She nodded. "Yes, he is. And he's bad. Dad says he's as bad as the Simpsons and Harry Potter!"

I huffed. What else was there? "Well, your dad isn't here."

She took the remote back from me. "Max, I wanna watch CSI."

"No," I said, changing it to something else. "How about Disney Channel?"

"This girl was in rehab."

I groaned. "Fine. Something else, but not CSI."

She put it on the National Geographic Channel. The show was about the Unabomber. Ugh. I give up.

* * *

"I met a girl," was the first thing Luther said as he came into the store. It was almost a week later and it was his first day back from California. "No, a woman."

"That's not uncommon," I told him. "I see a millions everyday."

He frowned at me. "What I meant was, I might have found the one."

"The one for what?"

"The one to make Tammie jealous."

I wasn't into talking to him, but I had to hear this. "So, you're going to make your ex wife, who is a lesbian jealous with another woman?"

"It's what I said, ain't it?"

"Does this girl know that you're using her?"

He shrugged. "Don't matter to me if she does or not. She's not the one I want."

I laid my head on the counter. Now that he was here, I could sleep. "You know that I don't want to work with you, right?"

"Aw, shut up," he said, going to sit down. "Where's all your kids?"

"Tyler's with his not girlfriend, the other boys and with Fang, along with James, and Tabitha is in the back."

"She's here?" He got up.

"Yeah," I said. "She's reading."

"Tabitha!" He called, running down the hallway. "I'm back, baby girl!"

I rolled my eyes.

* * *

Cameron was home alone with her daughter. When Damien was around, all the baby did was cry and giggle. Without him, she'd play with her toys by herself, crawl, and even try to feed herself. It was wonderful. Kind of.

"Come on," Cameron called over her shoulder as she walked into the kitchen. Samantha followed her mother. "Time for lunch."

She picked up the baby and sat her down in her high chair. Cameron gave her a few cheerios first.

"There. Eat."

Samantha giggled. "Ah!"

"Shhh," she said, going to make her a bottle too. Samantha picked up a cheerio and ate it, giggling. She loved her Daddy but her Mommy was nice too. Sometimes.

"What am I going to eat," Cameron mused out loud, setting the bottle down. "I guess a TV dinner."

She gave Samantha a few more cheerios and her bottle before putting her TV dinner in. "After this, it's naptime."

Samantha dropped her bottle on the floor. That made her cry.

"Damn it," Cameron complained, picking it up. She rinsed off the top before handing it back to her. "There, now be quiet."

Samantha picked it up. "Ah!"

"Drink it," Cameron said, going over to the microwave. "And stop whining."

After they both finished eating, Cameron took her upstairs and put her in her crib. "Now go to sleep. I've got things to do."

Samantha whined as she left, but once she saw that her mother wasn't coming back, she went to sleep. Cameron went down stairs and turned on the TV. The girl almost made her miss Judge Mathis.

* * *

"I missed you," Victoria said, kissing Bone.

He smiled. "Miss."

"Did you buy anything?"

He nodded, going over to his bag, which he had sat down on the floor of her apartment. He pulled out a plastic sword. "Bought this one and ordered twelve more."

She frowned. "Why?"

"So that the kids'll have stuff to play with."

"There aren't twelve of them."

He smiled. "There could be."

She eyed him suspiciously. "We're not having a kid until we're married."

He groaned. She makes everything so hard. Who still gets married before the kids these days?

* * *

I wasn't sure what I was going to do about Fang and my relationship, but I figured it started with figuring out if I was still mad. I don't know how long I can stay away from him. If we're seeing each other at least twice a week, what's the difference between living together? I'm not sure, but I wish I knew.

"Mommy?"

I glanced at Lucas. "Why are you in here? You're supposed to be asleep."

He climbed into bed with me. "I wanna sleep with you, Mommy."

"Fine," I said. "But you have to sleep."

He laid down in Fang's normal spot. "I want Daddy."

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Me too."

"Get him back."

I kissed his head. "Go to sleep, Lucas."

"Can I see Daddy tomorrow?"

"Sure."

He giggled. "Good. I miss Daddy."

As cute as three year old could be, they were also very repetitive. "Just go to sleep."

He groaned. "I'll see 'im tomorrow."

"Of course."


	19. Chapter 19

Living

Chapter 19

**August**

Fang had moved back in. I don't know why I let him back in. I guess that it was because I missed him, a lot. Right now, it was around midnight and he was rubbing my stomach.

"Do you feel good?" Fang asked.

"Yeah, I guess."

He kissed my head. "Tomorrow, I'm going to take the kids school supplies shopping."

"Have fun."

He smiled at me. "Lucas is about to start preschool.

"I know," I said, yawning. Of course, he wasn't going to that horrible one where they marked Tyler as a demented little boy. No, Lucas was going somewhere different. This would be the first year that the twin's elementary school would be offering preschool, so that's where he's going. Kindergarten and preschool aren't mandatory in Arizona, but Lucas gets so bored at the house, all alone.

"It'll be weird, him not being home."

I nodded. "It'll finally be quiet."

"But not once this one's born," he said, leaning down to kiss my stomach. We were silent again for awhile, when the doorbell rang.

"I've got it," I said, before Fang could say anything. "I want to get a snack, anyways."

He sighed, laying back into the bed. "Fine."

I went to the door, expecting Bone or Luther or some other freak that doesn't know where their own home is. It wasn't.

"Gasman-"

"I need your help."

* * *

"So we're just going to take care of it?" Tyler asked. "Does this mean that it's name is Spiderman?"

"Tyler, shut up, alright?" Fang said. "We're doing just what I told you. We're keeping Gasman and the baby for awhile."

Gasman had come to the door with a baby. His son, apparently. While hw as gone, he found out that he had gotten some girl pregnant. Taking a page right out of Fang's handbook, he took the baby. His 'real' parents kicked him out. Now we're stuck with him again.

I sighed, rocking the baby in my arms. I cannot believe that Gasman had him outside for long. He had flown for most of the way here, holding his baby in his arms. God.

"What's its name?" Tabitha asked.

"His name is Neo," I said, shaking my head. What type of name is Neo? God, Gazzy.

"Where's Gazzy?" Tyler asked.

"Sleeping in one of the guest rooms."

"How long is he gonna be here?" Tabitha asked.

"I don't-"

"A baby!" Lucas came into the room. "Hi, baby."

Fang picked him up. "You have to be quiet around babies."

"I know," he said. "School today?"

"No," Fang said, giving him a kiss on the head. Neo began to whine. I sighed, standing up.

Cody was in his crib, but awake. I picked him up and took him out. Neo had slept in his carrier earlier, but now I wanted him to get used to his new home.

"Mine," Cody complained.

"Shhh," I told him as I put the baby down. "You're going to get a new bed soon enough, anyways."

He humphed, crossing his arms and following me out of the room.

* * *

Samantha banged her toys together, giggling. Smiling, Damien pulled as Spiderman toy out of the box.

"Look, Sam. It's Spiderman."

She laughed again, dropping her toys so that she could clap her hands. Then she moved on to another toy. It was one of those toys that if you pushed a button on it, something will pop out. She was very interested in it when Cameron came down stairs.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked, setting a book down on the coffee table. Samantha reached over and pushed the book off, watching it fall.

"Stop it," Cameron said, putting the book back up again. Samantha pushed it right back down. "Stop!"

Samantha didn't like her tone. She began to wail. "Ah! Ah!"

Damien pulled her to him. "She just likes watching things fall, Cameron."

"Well she needs to stop," she said, putting her book back on the table. Damien moved his daughter's hand away when she reached up to knock it off again.

"Stop, baby," he said. "You're making Mommy mad."

Sitting down on the couch, Cameron said, "Max called me."

"She did?"

"Yeah," Cameron said. "I heard the message."

"What'd she say?"

"Something about Gasman bringing a baby home or something."

"What?"

Cameron nodded, turning on the TV. "Yeah. He had a son or something. I don't know."

Damien sat Samantha back down on the ground. "Hey, Cammie? You want to go out?"

"Out where?"

"I don't know," he said, grabbing Sam's hand when she yet again tried to knock over the book.

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

"So?"

"I work until six."

"Then we'll eat dinner together," she decided.

"Can we bring Sammy?"

Cameron groaned.

"Fine," Damien said. "I'll ask my mom to watch her."

* * *

"Dan, I just have to go out for awhile."

He frowned. "Why's it my job to watch the kids?"

Trinity sighed. "I just want you to watch her for a little while. Please?"

He was wavering. "Why can't you take her with you?"

"I'm going to get my hair done. She won't sit still for that long."

"Leave her in the car."

"Dan!"

He sighed. "Fine, I'll watch her."

"Thank you," Trinity said, going to give the baby a kiss on the head. "Bye, Sam."

"I don't get a kiss?"

She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back by eight."

"What? Trinity, that is in two hours."

She glanced at him. "You know my hair takes time to get done."

He snorted. "I also know how much money it costs."

She ignored this. "Bye, Sam. I'll see you later."

After she left, Samantha went back to chewing on one of her stuffed toys for a minute before crawling over to Dan. "Ah!"

"Go," he said, pointing. "Play with your toys."

She started to whine. "Nah!"

"Stop it," he said, picking her up. He sat her down next to him on the couch, propping her against the couch pillows. "Just be quiet."

Samantha started whining when she finally noticed that no one else was with her. It was just her and this guy. He was scary.

Dan groaned, looking at her. He didn't like children. Especially babies. "Stop it, now. There ain't a thing wrong with you, is there?"

She started moaning. Where was Daddy?

"Stop it," Dan said, finally setting her in his lap. Samantha looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "You're okay. See?"

She giggled after a minute, cuddling against him. He smelled nice. Not Daddy nice, but close enough. Dan froze, staring down at her.

"Don't you get to comfortable."

Samantha closed her eyes. She was sleepy. Where was Daddy? He needed to give her a kiss goodnight.

"You going to sleep?" Dan asked. "You're going to miss the news. Guess you don't really need to see it anyhow, though."

* * *

I had taken Tabitha out to eat dinner for our normal Saturday thing. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to take her, seeing as we have Neo in our house now and I was still trying to figure out how to make it all work. Tabitha had been good all week, as always, and I would have felt wrong if I hadn't taken her.

"It's hot," Tabitha said, taking off her jacket.

"Yeah," I agreed, pulling into a parking spot. "Ready?"

She nodded and we got out.

"Max?"

I turned my head. "Cameron?"

"Hey," she said. She and Damien were getting into of his truck. I guess they were leaving.

"I haven't seen you in forever," I said.

"Damien took me out for dinner," she said. "What are you doing? Where's Fang?"

"No," I said. "He's at home. I've got Tabitha. It's Saturday."

Cameron moved away from me and looked at Tabitha. She smiled at her, going to give her a hug. Tabitha was stiff for a moment before wrapping her arms around her.

"I missed you," Tabitha told her.

"I missed you too," Cameron admitted. "You know what?"

"What?"

She reached into her purse. "I found this and was waiting until I saw you again to give it to you."

Tabitha took the piece of paper from Cameron. She read it before looking back at her. "Can I keep it?"

"Of course," Cameron said. "I've got to go. Bye, Tabitha."

"Bye."

Cameron went back to the car. "Oh, and Tabitha?"

"What?" She asked, holding the paper against her chest.

"I do love you," she said, winking before closing the door.

"What does the paper say?" I asked Tabitha once we were sitting at a table, looking at our menus.

"Why do you want to know?"

I glanced at her. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

She was silent until we had our food. "Here."

I wiped my hand on my napkin before taking it. It had _For Tabitha_ written on the top.

_I know that you're mad at me write now butt, I love you and think that your veree pretty. Pleas be my girl frind again._

"Tommy can't spell," Tabitha said, staring at her chicken nuggets. "He's not good at reading either."

I sat the paper back down on the table. I didn't know what to tell her. Tabitha just started eating, changing to subject to how Tyler needs the guest room by the staircase, because it has a bathroom in it. Then they wouldn't have to share the other upstairs bathroom.

"Actually, Tabs," I began. "I was thinking that maybe you could have that room."

She looked up at me. "Why?"

"You're the oldest, you make the best grades, you're the only girl so you shouldn't have to share with the boys," I offered a few of the limitless answers. "Besides, we might need you room, what with Gasman and Neo moving in."

"Where's Neo's mom?" Tabitha asked me. I sighed.

"She didn't want him."

Tabitha gave me one of her chicken nuggets. "Gasman's like Dad."

"How?" I asked, glad that she gave me one. The boys never share their food with me.

"He kept us and waited for you to come along," she said, adding more ketchup to her French fries. "Gasman's good."

I stared at her. If he was good, he wouldn't have Neo. I wanted to say this to her, to hear her response, but I realized that she was only seven. She couldn't solve problems for me, even if she was smarter than me.

* * *

"I like the rain," Lucas told me. It was a few days later and he was sitting in front of the window.

"Do you?"

"Yeah."

I was rocking Neo at the moment. He constantly wanted to be held. "You know, Lucas, you start school soon."

"Yeah," he said. "I'mma meet people and stuff. Learn to read better, get snacks, have naptime, listen to stories. It'll be great, Mommy."

"I'm sure."

He giggled. "Will you miss me?"

"Horribly." And it was true. The house wouldn't be the same without Lucas.

"Max," Fang called, coming into the room. "You want to go get dinner with me? I'm just going through the drive-thru but I want company."

"Sorry," I said. "I'm taking care of Neo. Ask Gasman to go with you."

Fang groaned. "Gasman can watch his son. Come on. I want to talk."

I sighed. "Lucas, go get Gasman out of his room and have him come downstairs."

Lucas jumped up, off to do the task. Fang stood next to me. "How long are we going to let him stay here?"

"I don't know," I said.

"Max, we have another baby coming."

I held Neo closer to me. "Fang, do you not think that I know that? I'm not going to let Gasman leave this house until he has a job, a place to stay, and a way to take care of Neo."

"Max, he's not our kid."

"Fang, don't push me today, alright?"

Gasman came down the stairs with Lucas. "What?"

"You need to watch the kids," I said, handing him his son. "Tabitha and Tyler are in their rooms."

He sighed. "Fine."

Fang and I left. The car ride was silent for the most part. Then Fang started talking.

"Max? Are you mad at me?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, Fang."

He relaxed some. "Lucas is excited about school."

"I wish we weren't putting him in preschool."

"You're only saying that because you know it's too late to do anything. Trust me, we'll be fine without him."

"I guess so," I said, laying my head against the window. "Fang?"

"What?"

"…I think that I broke your laptop."

He was silent for a second. "What were you doing? Did you get a virus?"

"No…"

"Did you crash the hard drive?"

"Nope."

"Then what?"

"…It involves a Diet Coke, pizza, and the cats."

"Max!"

"I'm sorry," I said. "Besides, you need a new one anyways."

He looked at me fore a second. "Max, incase you have not noticed, we have four kids, another baby on the way, a baby that is apparently living with us, and two kids that are always in our house. I can't afford another one!"

I huffed. "Well, I didn't mean to."

Staying quiet for a moment, Fang stared straight ahead. Then he spoke again. "Baby, remember when I was mad at you? Before Lucas was born, and some time after?"

"Yes."

"I think that, looking into that, I've treated you worse than breaking a stupid computer," he said. "I don't mind. I guess I'll just do without one for awhile. It's fine."

I could tell he was mad. "Just yell at me and get it over with."

"No," Fang said. "If anyone should be yelling still, it's you. I'm fine. I'll just borrow your mom's laptop if I need one."

I closed my eyes. "I was talking to Gasman last night."

"Oh yeah? He won't even talk to me."

"He's embarrassed," I said. "He feels like he let us down."

Fang made a noise in the back of his throat.

"And," I said, "he wants to go to college in the spring."

"Where?"

"He's thinking out of state."

"He's already graduated?"

"Yeah," I told him.

"Out of state…is he taking Neo with him?"

I hesitated. "No. I thought-"

"Max, no."

"Fang, come on."

"Max, we have enough kids."

"Neo's so cute though," I said. "Besides, we have time to decide. Gasman might not even be going."

Fang shook his head. "Whatever you think we can handle, Max."

I ran a hand down my stomach. "Do you like me pregnant?"

"Yes."

"More than when I'm not?"

Fang sighed. "Max, I like you pregnant because I like kissing your stomach goodnight or goodbye, and I love knowing that I have my baby right next to us as we sleep at night. I love feeling the baby kick and talking to it even though it can't hear me. Besides, Max, I need to be here for one of my kids' births."

I yawned. "What are we getting to eat?"

"Burgers."

"Good," I said before falling asleep. Sleeping against the car window might hurt your neck, but it's the best sleep you'll ever get.

* * *

The first day of school came. Lucas was ready for it. As we dropped him off, he was all smiles and giggles. Tyler was all grumpy and annoying. Alex was in his class again though, so things were good on that front.

"Now what?" I asked Fang as we pulled up to the house.

"I'm just dropping you off," he said. "I've got work.

"Great," I said, getting out. I got Cody out. Neo had stayed at home with Gasman.

"No," Cody whined as I closed the front door behind us. "James!"

"Not today," I told him. Gasman was on the couch, zoned out with the TV on. "Gazzy!"

"What?"

"This places is a mess."

He didn't even look up as he said, "I'll do it later, Max."

I shook my head, putting Cody on the floor in front of the couch. "Watch Cody for me."

"Yeah, sure," he said, engrossed in some show on Spike.

I went to lay down for awhile. I was almost asleep when my cell rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello."

I groaned. "What do you want, Bone?"

"Where?"

"I'm at home."

"Lucas?"

"Today was his first day of school, Bone."

He was silent for a second. "When home?"

"You know when school ends."

"Home school?"

"What?"

"I'll home school him."

"Yeah, okay."

"Good, you agree."

"Bone, I was being sarcastic and you know it," I said. "Besides, it's preschool. He doesn't even have to go. Fang just wanted him to."

Again, he paused. "I have to go."

"Bone-"

"I love you."

"I love you to but-"

"Bye."

He hung up on me. Asshole…

* * *

"You did what?"

Lucas nodded, clearly pleased with himself. "I love school. Love it so much."

"Lucas, you cannot put water in glue bottles. What made you think to do that?"

He just giggled. "I don't know."

"I hate school," Tyler told me as I pulled away from the pace he dreaded.

"What about you, Tabitha? Was in okay?"

"I don't know."

I rolled my eyes. "Did you see Jenna?"

"I said that I don't know!"

"Don't yell at me, Tabitha."

She frowned, crossing her arms. The rest of the way home, Lucas recalled his day in full details. Ugh. When we got home, Bone was there, waiting.

"Bone!" Lucas ran to him.

He picked him up. "Miss."

"I missed you too," Lucas said. "I got in trouble at school."

"Good boy," Bone said, walking over to me. He gave me a kiss. "I'm taking Lucas to work with me."

"Bone, it's a school night."

"I'll have him back by seven," Bone said, starting for the door. "Bye, Max. Bye, Tyler and Tabitha."

I rolled my eyes, going to lay down on the couch. "Tyler, go into Gasman's room and see if he's watching Cody and Neo like I told him."

Tyler ran up the stairs to do so.

"Wait, Tabitha," I said as she tried to go into the kitchen.

"What?"

"First off, lose the attitude. Secondly, tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing."

I closed my eyes. "You'd tell me if there was something wrong, right?"

She ignored this, changing her course from the kitchen to upstairs.

"I love you Tabitha," I called after her. She said nothing.

* * *

When it was just Cameron and Samantha, she made the baby crawl around, not wanting to carry her. Then, as always, Damien would come home at some point.

Cameron was watching TV as Samantha crawled around the floor, playing with her toys. It was then that Damien decided to come in.

"Ah!"

"Hey, Sam," Damien said, closing the door behind him before rushing to her. "Are you crawling baby? Huh?"

She stopped, just sitting there. Damien went over to the couch to give Cameron a kiss.

"Bah!" Samantha cried.

"Come over here if you want," Damien told her. She just sat there whining until he picked her up.

"You spoil her."

"And you give her no attention at all, so I think that she's pretty balanced."

Cameron made a face at him. "Go away, alright? Oh, and your mother called."

It was his turn to make a face. "Why'd she call you?"

"Your phones off."

"It is?"

"Yes. Turn it back on. What if I needed you to get something for me while you were out?"

He rolled his eyes before giving Samantha a kiss on the head. "What did you and Samantha do today?"

"Same as always."

"Sleep, eat, and watch TV?"

She glared at him. "Damien, if you've got a problem with that, don't leave her with me. I didn't ask you to."

"You know, Cameron, she is your daughter."

"Yeah, and I'll pay for her until she's eighteen and then even college, if she wants. Besides that, I don't owe her a thing."

"You know that you love her."

"Hardly."

He shook his head before walking towards the stairs with the baby. "Me and Sam will be in her room reading if you need us."

"Trust me, I won't."

* * *

**September**

Lucas quickly established himself as the bad boy in his class. While I was used to being called down the school because my son was in a fight, I was now being called down because my son stolen the teachers money or told the teacher to shut up. Fang and Bone both found the little things he did hilarious and said that he was just being a boy, but I don't see it that way.

Tyler was still himself. Angry at everyone in the school, save Alex. She was also treating school the same, still giggling at anything and everything. The only one that was not adjusting, or accepting, whatever, was Tabitha.

Yes, Tabitha, the normal level headed, smart, respectful to everyone except for me, was still acting out like she had at the end of last school year. Now, it was escalating a little every day. Yesterday, Friday, she refused to do her English work. She just flat out told the teacher that it was stupid, dumb, and that he should rethink his assignments before he talked to her again. God, she's like me, only smarter.

"Tabitha, after this, let's get Mexican food," I suggested as we drove down the road. It was our Saturday girls time and we were going shopping.

"Whatever."

I glanced at her. "You know, me and Fang went to the doctor the other day. We saw the baby again."

"So?"

I sighed. "I was just thinking about the rooms situation. Like I told you, I want to give you the room that Gasman is using, give Lucas your room, put Cody and Neo in the other guest room, and keep the new baby in the bedroom next to mine. What do you think?"

"What about Gasman?"

"He's going to sleep on the couch or something, I guess."

"Why can't Neo and the new baby share a room and Cody and Lucas share a room so that Gasman has a room?"

I didn't have an answer for this. "That sounds good too. I was just thinking."

It was silent again. I turned up the radio.

"Don't you love this song?"

"No," she told me flatly. "I like it quiet."

I sighed, turning the radio down completely. "Your dad didn't mean what he said last night."

"That I'm a brat and need to learn respect?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, he did," she said. "I don't care. He's stupid and a cheater."

"Tabitha-"

"I wish that he was my step dad and that you were my mom."

I didn't say anything for a moment, thinking. "Tabitha, I forgave your father. Why can't you?"

"Remember when I kneed Tommy in the bad place?" She asked. "You said that I did good, showing him that he can't have no one but me. Then you just take Dad back. That's bad, Max."

"Don't tell me how to live my life, alright Tabitha?"

"He was lyin' anyways."

I frowned. "About what?"

She laid her head against the window, as if it was too heavy to hold up. "You'd see us if you went to court. 'least that's what Luther said. And I heard Dad say that he wouldn't have fought with you about it anyways."

"You are talking about things that are way over your head."

Tabitha shrugged. "You are wrong. I wouldn't take him back."

"You're seven. You don't get a vote."

She closed her eyes. "I'd want to stay with you anyways. I don't like Dad. He yells a lot."

"That's because you're misbehaving in school, Tabitha."

"No. I say what's right and then get yelled at for it. 's not fair."

"Yes, it is. Tabitha, you're a child. You don't get to boss adults around."

"My teacher said that I have to go to the school counselor on Monday."

"Yes, you do," I told her.

"I'm not crazy."

"No one said you were."

"Tyler should go instead of me. He's crazy."

"Oh, Tabs, he is not."

"Max, he talks to himself."

"No. He makes memos in his head."

"Out loud?"

"Don't judge, Tabitha. That's wrong."

"Like you."

"Hey-"

"I want to listen to the radio again," she said, turning it back up.

"Fine," I said. "But you need to shape up, Tabitha. You're not grown yet. You still have to listen to what I say, or any other adult says."

"Whatever."

Out of all the words Fang and I say to each other, why did she have to pick up that one?


	20. Chapter 20

Living

Chapter 20

Fang laid his hand on my stomach. "Are you awake?"

I groaned. "Why? What time is it?"

"Around three in the morning."

"Then no."

He laughed, kissing the side of my head. "Were you having a bad dream?"

"Yeah, I guess that's what you'd call it."

"You want to talk about it?"

I turned in his arms. "You wouldn't want me to do that."

"Of course I would," he said. "Besides, your tossing and turning already woke me up. Might as well get something out of it."

I sighed. "I had a dream about…her."

Fang lay still for a moment. "Max, you have got to move on."

"I can't though, Fang," I said.

"What can I say to make you forget what I did?"

"Nothing, Fang."

He rubbed my stomach. "What if we go to couples' therapy?"

"Why does everyone think that therapy is the fucking answer to everything?"

"Everybody meaning who?"

"Cameron, you, Mom, and that stupid teacher of Tabitha's."

"Right," Fang said. "She has to go see the counselor, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, closing my eyes. Every time I did though, all I could see was Fang and that woman. "Fang?"

"What?"

I turned to bury my head in his chest. The same comfort that it used to bring me was still there, but not nearly as strong. "I love you."

He kissed the top of my head. "I love you too."

* * *

Tabitha was sitting in the office, waiting for the counselor. She had been called down there, but she had to wait.

"You sit here, and you behave," a teacher said, forcing a boy down in the seat next to her. "Principal Heering will see you in a minute."

The boy crossed his arms, but said nothing else. Tabitha sighed, looking down at her lap. The boy started digging through his backpack. After a second, he pulled a piece of paper out and started coloring a picture on it.

"You're not doing it right," she told him after a second. "You're supposed to stay inside the lines, stupid."

The boy glared at her. "What do you know?"

"A lot more than you," she said, glaring right back.

"What'd you do?" He asked after a second, still coloring outside the lines. He couldn't help it. Coloring was hard.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you here?"

"I've got to see the counselor."

He shrugged. "I put talked back and started a crayon fight."

"Crayon fight?"

"Yeah, you know," he said. "We threw crayons at each other."

Boys... "Why'd you only get in trouble?"

"'Cause my teacher hates me, that's why."

"What's your name?" Tabitha asked.

"Adeem."

"That's a stupid name," she said.

"Na-ah. You're stupid."

"No, you are," she retorted. They didn't talk the rest of the time.

* * *

"How was school?" I asked the three kids, mainly Tabitha, but I also was worried about what trouble the boys got in.

"I had to sit in the corner," Lucas said. "Twice!"

Great…

"How was the counselor, Tabs?"

"Stupid. She's making me come back next week too."

"I," Tyler began, "was told by my teacher that I was the smartest in the class. Accept for Adeem."

Tabitha, who was riding in the front seat, turned her head to see Tyler. "Who?"

"Adeem," Tyler said with evident distaste in his mouth.

"Who's Adeem?" I asked the two of them.

"A jerk," Tyler said. "I hate him. He's stupid."

"He is not," Tabitha said, still turning to glare at her brother.

"Face forward, Tabitha," I said. "Who's Adeem?"

"I don't know," she said, turning back around and crossing her arms.

Whatever. When we got home, Fang was playing with Cody, Neo, and James, who had moved back in with us for the time being. Lucas was sharing Tyler's bed right now, and I was keeping Cody and James in Lucas's bed, after the agreement to let James stay in a bed from Trinity, of course. God, we have to many people in our house. At the moment though, we were working on moving Tabitha into Gasman's room and getting the other boys situated too. It was hard and confusing. Plus, I was pregnant and wasn't into moving things.

"Daddy, guess what," Lucas said, running over to him.

"What?"

"I got in trouble again today."

"Good boy."

"Fang."

He sighed. "Lucas, go to your room."

"Which one?"

"Just get out of here."

He giggled, running up the stairs, calling for Gasman. Tabitha sat her backpack down before going up them too, her twin right behind her.

"Bad day for the kids?" Fang asked as I laid down on the couch.

"I guess," I said. "Tabitha didn't want to talk about the counselor thing."

Fang shrugged as Cody rammed a dump truck against his leg. "Doesn't matter. She doesn't have to tell us everything."

I closed my eyes. "My stomach is upset."

"Then sleep, baby," he said. Neo, who was on the floor wiggling around, began to whine. "Stop, Neo. You want to go sleep in your crib?"

"My!" Cody yelled, upsetting the baby more.

"Come on," Fang groaned, picking Neo up. "You want to go nap? Huh?"

After he was gone, Cody and James got up too.

"Where are you two going?" I asked. My eyes were still closed but I could hear them. That's part of having so many children. You don't need eyes to see. Maybe Iggy should have kids. Was that rude? Whatever.

"To pay up dairs, Mommy," Cody said.

"No," I told him. "You two are going to sit there and play with the things that you've got."

He made a noise of displeasure, but listened. He didn't like doing right, but, unlike all the other kids, he always did it anyways.

* * *

Samantha loved going out of the house with Daddy. He was the best. Right now, he was taking her to work.

"Hi, Samantha," said the woman behind the counter. Cassie. Samantha hid her head in Damien's shoulder. She liked Cassie and all, but she only saw her when Daddy wasn't around. She loved her Daddy.

"Ra-na."

Damien gave her to Cassandra. "I'll be back, Sam. Be good."

She whined as he left. Why did he have to leave?

"I like your hair, Samantha," Cassandra told the baby. "It's so cute. Just like you."

She yawned. She liked the sound of the lady's voice. It wasn't as good as Mommy, but it was good. For a little while, she fell asleep.

"He brought that thing again?"

Samantha opened her eyes, looking around.

"Yes," Cassandra said, glaring at Rachel. "Just because you don't like babies and have no heart doesn't mean that he can't bring her. I, for one, like having her here."

Rachel just blinked. "I still wish that it wasn't here."

"You better watch it," the receptionist warned. "Don't let Damien hear you saying things about his baby."

She rolled her eyes. "Where is he, anyways?"

"He has a client."

Rachel watched the baby look around. "Do babies understand words?"

"Yes," Cassandra said, rolling her eyes. "Don't you, Sam?"

She made a noise, clapping her hands. She liked Rachel. She was pretty. And she had these shinny things all over her face. Her daddy called them piercings. Samantha loved looking at them. She reached out, trying to touch on. Rachel moved back and Cassandra moved her hand away.

"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked. "Do you want Rachel to hold you?"

She kept reaching for the dyed black haired woman.

"I have to go do something," Rachel said, walking away. Samantha got upset. Then Cassie distracted her by singing to her. Giggling, Samantha settled down.

Twenty minutes later, Damien went up front. "Alright, it's my lunch break. I'm going to take Sam, okay?"

Cassandra handed her over. "You're taking her to lunch with you?"

"Yep," Damien said, walking out the door. Samantha cuddled against him, delighted that he was holding her.

* * *

Tabitha sighed, walking into the office. It was a week later and things still were the same. Max kept promising to move her into the other bedroom, her dad kept telling her that she needed to look at herself in the mirror and realize that she wasn't who she wanted to be, Luther kept saying that no one got him and her, and she just needed to hold her head up high and comprehend that geniuses were always misunderstood. It was all too much and made her head hurt.

"Where have you been?"

She sat down next to the different skinned boy. "What?"

He glared at her. "Last week, I got in trouble everyday, just waiting for you to be here. You never were!"

She just wanted him to stop all the yelling. Then she thought about what he had said. "Why did you want me here so bad?"

The other boy seemed to get embarrassed. "I just…we never finished our fight."

They had a fight? She didn't remember. "Look, Akeem-"

"Adeem," he said, all slowly and stuff, like she was the stupid one. Yeah, right.

"Whatever. That's a stupid name."

"It is not! It means rare."

"It should mean stupid."

"Hey-"

"What are you, anyways? Mexican?"

"No," he said. "Arab."

"Like Muslim?"

"I'm a Muslim Arab."

Tabitha frowned. "How come you don't have to wear that thing around your head?"

"Only women have to wear that," he said. "My mom does. Not all of them have to wear it."

"My Dad's friend Luther said that Muslims treat women bad," she said.

"We do not!"

"Yes, you do," she continued. After all, Luther's words were like scripture. "And you caused 9/11."

"What's that?"

"Something with towers."

"Well, I didn't do it," he said. "I'm here because I stole somethin' again."

"What'd you steal?" Tabitha asked, interested.

"This girl's Gameboy."

"What's that?"

"It's what was before the DS."

"Who would want that?" She asked.

"That's what I figured. Doing her a favor, you know."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "You don't have to get in trouble to see me everyday."

"Then when can I see you?"

"Why don't you just talk to me during recess?"

He smiled. "I'm normally in trouble during recess."

"What do they make you do?"

"Stay inside and read," he said, clearly disgusted by the thought.

Tabitha shook her head. "My brother's in your class."

"You have a brother?"

"I have a lot of brothers," she said. "But, this one's name is Tyler."

Adeem frowned. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Having him as a brother."

Normally, she didn't like people talking bad about Tyler. But Adeem made it sound okay. He wasn't being mean, he was just making her laugh. Then Ms. Benoit came out of her office and called Tabitha's name out. Tabitha didn't want to go, but she did. Talking to Adeem was fun and all, but she didn't want to make him think that they were friends or something. Because they weren't. They most certainly weren't.

* * *

**October**

The best part of Lucas's bad boy status? He made friends easily, which meant he was rarely home. Don't get me wrong, I love Lucas. He's my baby and stuff. He can get annoying very easily, though, so it was just nice to have him out sometimes.

With all the other kids that seem to have taken up residency here, Lucas being gone was hardly noticeable. Alex's parents had some sort of emergency and we have her for the next month, James is living here again, Gasman and Neo are here to stay, and Luther was always moping around here now that Tammie was gay again. All of this on top of Fang and my relationship troubles and my pregnancy was all too much. Not to mention Tabitha's new found obsession with some boy and Tyler's hatred of same boy.

"So he can't come over because of Tyler? That's not fair!"

"He got into a fight with Tyler and-"

"Won," Tabitha said, crossing her arms.

"Lost," Tyler said back, glaring at his sister. "Go ahead, Max, let him come over here and I'll beat him up all over again!"

Looking distraught, Alex made a noise in the back of her throat. She didn't like for people to not like each other. It clearly was bothering her. "Adeem's nice, I guess. Tyler, maybe you should-"

"No," he said, defiant as ever.

"Then can I go over to his house?" Tabitha asked me.

"Absolutely not," Luther said. Fang nodded his head in agreement. They were the kitchen table, playing with their Dragon whatever cards.

"Yeah," Fang said. "You're too young to be hanging out at a boy's house."

I'm not even going to point out Alex at the moment.

"That's not the point," Luther said. "Not to be a racist-"

"Luther, if you're starting a sentence that way, it tends to mean that you're going to be one," I pointed out.

"Just because you have no national pride-"

"Stop," Cody yelled, running into the kitchen. "Stop!"

"What?" Fang looked down at him. "What's wrong?"

"I peed," he said. Great...

"In your pull-up?" I asked, hoping that he didn't decide on target practice. James loved doing that.

"Nope," he said. "Potty."

James walked into the room. "Yeah."

Fang got up. "Good boy."

"Yep," Cody said, smiling.

Tabitha didn't care about her brother's accomplishment. "Why can't I go?"

"Because, Tabitha," I said. "Luther's a bigot."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are."

"So they can just bomb our country-"

"Oh my god, what about when Japan bomb Pearl Harbor, Luther? You sure do read those fucking mangas!"

"Max, really?" Fang glared at me. "No cursing, remember?"

I crossed my arms. "So he can just spout racist information around?"

Fang picked up our son. "Nope. Luther, shut your mouth. Tabitha, you can't go because I don't want you over at a boys house. And you, Cody, get a cookie for using the potty."

"Yeah!"

"Did you wash your hands?" Fang asked.

"Nope."

Great.

* * *

"Are you awake?"

Victoria rolled over. "No."

"It's almost seven."

"In the morning?" She asked in a shocked tone.

"No," he said. "Night. Dinner?"

"We just had sex."

"Hour ago."

She rolled over again, facing him again. "I'm not hungry."

He ran a hand through her hair. "Vickie?"

"What?"

"I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too, Art."

"Enough to marry me?"

"I told you, when you propose-"

"That's what I'm doing," he said, reaching over the bed for his jeans. "Here, I got you a ring."

"Damn it, Artemis!"

"What?" He asked. Why was she upset? Didn't she want this? Did he do good or not?

"You can't ask me to marry your when we're naked!"

He frowned. "Then get up and get dressed."

"Art-"

"Matter?"

"It matters because, when I look back on this, all I remember is the sex."

"So?"

"Well, then I remember that I was naked, and then I'll remember how fat I was."

He reached over and took her face in his hands. "So what? I love you. Let's get married."

She pushed him away. "I plan to be skinny, at some point, Bone. I don't want any of my major milestones in life being naked and nasty looking."

"Stop it," Bone said, looking hard at her. "I love you because of the way you are, not in spite of it."

"I just think that you should do it differently."

"Well, I'm not," Bone said.

"Artemis-"

"No," he said, angry with her. "Yes or no, now or never."

"Fine, yes."

"Good," he said, handing over to ring. "Now food?"

"Art."

* * *

"How come you don't like Adeem?" Alex asked.

Tyler frowned. "Don't you get it, Alex? He's the enemy."

"Because he's Muslim?"

"What? No. I don't even know what that means. That's Luther's deal," he said.

"Then why's he the enemy?"

"Because he just is!"

"How do you choose whether or not someone's an _enemigo_?"

"You just know, okay?"

"Am I enemy?"

"No, of course not."

"Is Cody?"

"No, Alex."

"Max?"

"No." He was getting irritated.

"Is Jamie?"

Tyler cut his eyes at his best friend. "We loaf Jamie."

"You mean loathe?"

"Yes."

"Why? I like him."

"Like him how?"

Alex sat down on Tyler's bed. "I don't know. You ask a lot of questions."

"So do you."

"Why do you care?" She asked. "Are you jealous?"

"No."

"Sure you're not?"

Tyler was getting extremely angry. "Shut up, Alex. I hate you!"

She had grown bored of his hollow hate. "Just admit it, Tyler."

For a brief second, he thought about threatening to beat Jamie up. Then he smiled, thinking of something better. "I'm going to tell Jamie that you like him."

"What? Tyler-"

"I am," he said.

"No!"

"Yep, unless you pledge your undying love for me."

Alex jumped off the bed. "Tell him, then, Tyler."

That took him by surprise. "What?"

"Yeah, tell him," she said, starting for the door. "I do like him. A lot more than I like you, actually."

Tyler picked up the nearest thing to him, a stuffed Cyclops doll, and threw it at her. "I hate you!"

"Good, I hate you too!"

* * *

"Tyler and Alex broke up."

Fang just laid there for a second. "Were they together?"

"Not officially, no."

"My back hurts really bad," Fang told me.

"Do you want me to do something?"

He just groaned. "I feel like I'm dying, baby."

I sighed, going to get into bed with him. He had his shirt off and his wings were spread out. I got under one of them.

"Do you want me to rub your back?" I asked.

"No," he said. "That wouldn't help that much."

"You're going to the doctor," I decided.

"What? No," Fang said. "It's not that bad."

"Well, either way, it couldn't hurt."

"It could hurt a lot, Max! You know that I hate doctors."

"At the very least," I started, "you're going to go see Mom tomorrow."

"Max-"

"Yes," I said. "Besides, I do not need you to be stressing about you. You know what happened last time."

Fang sucked in a breath. "Luther still here?"

"Yes."

"Max, just leave him alone about Adeem, alright?"

"Fang, he's not Tabitha's father, nor is he my husband. He makes no decisions in this house."

"Trust me, I know."

"No, I don't think you do know," I said. "He's not going to sit in my kitchen, mouthing off his stupid ideals."

"Max, just stop."

"No, Fang," I said. "I'm done what him."

"What has Luther ever done to you?"

"Does helping your cheat count? Huh?"

Fang closed his eyes. "Baby, not now, alright?"

"Yes, now."

"Max, I feel horrible."

"From your back or about cheating on me?"

"Both," he said.

"Which one more?"

Fang groaned out of pain. "Max, it hurts so bad."

I was suddenly concerned with him. "Like call 911 hurt?"

"No," he said, forcing himself up. "Like see your mom tonight, not tomorrow."

* * *

Mom sighed, looking at the two of us. "I think that it's your wings, Fang."

"What about them?" He asked. She had given him painkillers, so he was fine now. We had sent Bone over to watch the kids, even when he complained about how he was celebrating something. Whatever. You know how tightly wound I have him.

"They're what's messing up your back."

Fang looked bored. "Dr. Martinez, just give me some more of these pills and I'll be fine."

She shook her head before looking at me. "I think that, for long time relief, we might have to do something drastic."

"Like what?" I asked, glancing at Fang. "Surgery?"

"Yes."

Fang blinked. "So yes more pills or what?"

"Fang," she said. "I think that I might have to remove your wings."

You know that moment when you first hear someone say something crazy where you're all like 'Oh, that makes sense' and then you're like 'Wait, run that by me again?' Yeah, I was having one of those moments.

"What?" Fang shook his head. "No. No way. Forget it."

I stared at my mother. "Why would you even think that we would agree to that?"

She sighed. "I didn't think that you would, but Fang, you need to know your options."

He got up. "I think I'll just stick to the pills."

"I am not writing you're a prescription for those."

"Yes, you are," Fang said, walking out of the room. "Or medical marijuana. Your choice, really."

And that's how Fang got addicted to painkillers. Better than pot, I guess.

* * *

"Jamie Tresa is nice, I guess," Tabitha said.

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "Better than Tyler."

"Anyone's better than Tyler."

"Agreed," Tabitha said, continuing to paint Alex's nails. "Before we continue, agree that Adeem should be allowed to come over here."

"Agreed."

"Good," Tabitha said, smiling. "So, what are you going to do about Jamie?"

Alex frowned. "Tyler said that he was going to tell him."

Rolling her eyes, Tabitha said, "Tyler was lying, Alex. He wouldn't really do that."

"He wouldn't?"

"No, of course not," Tabitha said. "You're his best friend. He was just trying to get to you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so anyways-"

"I think that I should go," Alex said.

"What? I didn't finish your nails."

"That's okay," Alex said. "They look cool, some painted, some not."

"They do not."

Alex got off the bed. "Bye, Tabitha."

And yet again, she was left alone. Tabitha sighed before deciding to just paint her own nails. Nothing else for her to do, anyways. Tommy was dead, Adeem couldn't come over, and even Alex ditched her for stupid Tyler. It was starting to look like her nails were her only hope.

* * *

"I'm going to buy you a piano."

There he was, trying to teach his baby to talk, and Cameron just sprung some wild, weird idea on him. "What?"

"Yeah," she said, not looking up from her book. "Besides, it'd look nice in the house."

"Where would you put it?"

"Don't hound me on small details, Damien," she said, flipping a page.

"What kind?"

"What do you mean?"

"There are different-"

"Small details, Damien."

He sighed, looking at his daughter. "Cameron, I don't want a piano."

"Does it look like I care?"

"Well, no, not really." But wasn't that true about everything?

"Well then, it's decided," she said.

"I guess so," he said, shaking his head.

* * *

"Do you think I'm a racist?"

Dan sighed. "Trinity! One of your mess ups is here."

She came to the door, pushing her husband away. He went back to the couch, turning Hannity back up, like a good American.

"What's wrong?" Trinity asked, pulling Luther into the house. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't know," he said. "Do you think that I'm a racist?"

"No," she told him in earnest. Dan rolled his eyes. "Who told you that you were?"

"Max."

"You aren't," Trinity said. "Why did she say that?"

"Tabitha has a Muslim friend and I was just saying that she shouldn't go over to his house-"

"And she shouldn't," Dan chimed in. "They're the downfall of America."

"I thought that was blacks?" Trinity asked dryly. "Isn't that what your shows tell you?"

Dan just grunted.

Luther stared at Damien's father. "Oh my God."

"What?" Trinity turned her eyes back to him. "Are you okay?"

"No," he said. "I'm you."

"Me?" She gave him a weird look.

"No, you, Dan," he said. "God."

"Stop saying that," Dan said. "Don't use his name in vein."

Luther just kept staring. "The Muslim thing, the republican thing. God, God, God! I'm him!"

"Luther, calm down," Trinity said.

"No! How could I be him?" He looked sick. "I am a racist."

"I am not a racist," Dan said, frowning. "I married a black woman, didn't I?"

"Dan," Trinity hissed.

"What?"

Luther groaned loudly. "How could this happen to me?"

With that, he started for the door. "Thanks, Dan. Thanks a lot!"

Dan waited until Luther left before leaving. "Well, I always thought that he did drugs."

Trinity shook her head, walking back into the kitchen.

* * *

The week dragged by until Monday. Tabitha could hardly stand it. As always, Adeem was waiting for her.

"What'd you do today?" She asked.

"Spilt glue all over the teacher."

Tabitha frowned, sitting down next to him. "Sorry you couldn't come over."

He shrugged. "I had better things to do anyways."

"Like what?"

"…Anyways, I'm going to sit with you at lunch."

"You can't," she said, looking hard at him. "You have to sit with your class at lunch."

"So?" He leaned back in his chair. "I'm not exactly a rule follower."

"Right," she said, rolling her eyes. "Jamie Tresa is in your class, right?"

"Yep," he said. "Jamie's alright."

"Does he bother my brother?"

Adeem nodded. "That's what makes him alright."

She smiled at Adeem. "Next Monday, I need you to get in trouble for doing something to him."

Adeem sat up. "Like what?"

"I don't know," she said. "That's where you get to add your own creative touch."

"I gotta touch what?"

"Never mind. You chose what you do."

He shrugged. "I guess, if you want. It'll cost you what?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Cost me what?"

"You have to get Denise Jones to stop asking me to be her boyfriend."

If she had known about it before, it would have already been done. "Alright."

Adeem smiled. "Cool."

"Yeah," she said, smiling despite herself. So maybe they were friends. What would be wrong with that?

* * *

"I want to have the wedding at home."

Bone changed the channel, pondering this. "My apartment or yours?"

"What? No, Art," Victoria said, shaking her head. "I meant home as in our hometown."

He removed his arm from around her shoulders. "No."

"Artemis-"

"No, Victoria."

She crossed her arms. "Well, that's where it's happening, so you can either show up or not. It's your choice."

He shrugged. "I don't really believe in marriage anyways."

"Artemis, come on."

"No," he repeated. "You know how I feel about that town."

"I want all my friends and family to be there."

"All of my friends and family live down here."

"What family?"

"My sister, my nephews, my niece-"

"I'm being serious, Artemis."

"So am I."

"Then I guess the engagement's off."

When would she learn that didn't work with him? "Alright. I'll pawn the ring tomorrow. Wanna buy an apartment to share?"

"What?"

"You know, live together?"

She hit him in the arm before getting up. He looked at Bubba and they both shared the same look. Women.

* * *

"Luther's gone crazy," Fang said.

"Still on his racist hang up?"

Fang nodded, taking off his shirt. "Did Tabitha see that boy again today?"

"Adeem? Yes."

Fang frowned, getting into bed. "I don't like this."

I glanced at him. I was trying to read a magazine but _no_. "You know, Fang, most girls pick the guy that they're with based off their fathers."

"Max, I knocked you up at fifteen."

"So we're screwed."

He groaned, laying down. "That theory doesn't even make sense to begin with."

"What do you mean?" I asked, going back to my magazine.

"You didn't choose me because of Jeb."

I shrugged. "You don't know that."

Fang looked at me. "Yes, I do, Max. I would never leave you."

"But you'd cheat on me."

He laid his head back down. "What will it take to get you to stop bring that up?"

"I don't know, Fang. You're the one that broke us, it's your job to fix us."

Fang was quiet for a little bit before interrupting my reading again. "Do you think that Luther's a racist?"

"Yes."

"What about me?"

"No. You're a homophobe though."

"Good."

"Fang."


	21. Chapter 21

Living

Chapter 21

From the outside, Luther seemed to be a wreck. But from my inside point of view, he was actually pretty structured. He moped around the office from eight AM till noon, then he took out his Ipod and played Armor for Sleep's Somebody Else's Arms three times, The Script's Breakeven once, and finally Anberlin's Amsterdam five times. By the way, all music and bands that weren't his normal cup of tea. After that, he went to my house, bothered Tabitha and James, before going to his house and planning parties that never happened. It was sad, really, but I'm not so sure I don't like it. He did try to get my husband to leave me, after all.

Right now, he was bother Tabitha.

"Come on, Tabs."

"No," she said, not looking up from the journal she was writing in. Today was Sunday and she was finishing her homework.

"I'll take you to get ice cream," he attempted to persuade.

"No," she repeated. "I have to finish this."

"Why can't you later?"

"Because," she began, "I'm going to call Adeem after that."

"What?" Luther seemed to be arguing with himself in his head. "Why?"

"Because he's my friend," she explained like he was the child and she was the adult.

"Isn't she too young to be talking on the phone?" Luther looked at me.

I shrugged. "I told her as long as she stopped getting sent to the principal's office, she could."

"What about me?" Tyler asked. He and Alex were playing with his toys on the floor.

"What about you?"

"How come I can't talk on the phone?"

"Right now, you're lucky you're not grounded from everything," I said. That reminded me of something. "Where's Lucas?"

"With Dad," Tabitha said. She was seated next to me on the couch, Luther in front of her. He had been bothering her for awhile now and it was kind of sorry.

"Doing what?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"I'm going to find out," I said, getting up. My show was over anyways. "Where are they?"

"Out back," Tabitha said. I went to the kitchen before out the back door. When I got outside, the first thing I noticed was James and Cody. They were playing with their Tonka trucks.

"Where's Daddy and Lucas?" I asked Cody, not about to believe that he left them out here all alone.

"Sky," Cody said, pointing up.

I looked up, skeptical. Then I saw my freaking _baby_ up inn the sky with my dumbass husband.

"Fang!"

Lucas was flying all on his own, a few feet away from Fang. When he hear my voice, Lucas looked down.

"Mommy!" He stopped flying, pulling in his wings. Fang tried to catch him a missed. I jumped into the air, no running start, which hurts like hell by the way, and flew as hard as I could to get to him. I caught him.

"Mommy!" He was crying now, scared. "I tried, Mommy."

"Shhh," I soothed, rubbing his back as I slowly went down, landing on my feet.

"Max, I didn't think that he would-"

"Stop," I cut Fang off. "Don't even start."

Lucas sniffled, cuddling against me. Reaching out, Fang tried to take him from me. I turned away from him. "I said to stop, Fang."

"Max, he's too big for you to carry," he said. "You're pregnant."

"Yeah, thanks to you."

Fang frowned. "Well, I'd like to think that's obvious."

I huffed before going back into the house, my baby still in my arms. "Are you okay, Luke?"

He looked at me. "I'd be better with a cookie."

"Of course," I said, setting him down on the counter. He was kind of heavy.

"Am I good at flying?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I said as Fang came in, carrying the other two boys. "The best flier I know."

* * *

Adeem was waiting for her Monday in the office. Tabitha sighed, sitting down next to him.

"Hi," he said, reaching into his backpack.

"What'd you do this time?" She asked.

"Me? Nothing," he said. "Just pants Jamie for you."

Tabitha smiled. "Thanks."

He shrugged, still digging around. "Here, I made you something."

"What?" She asked. Tommy never made her things. He only bought her stuff. But Adeem wasn't Tommy. He wasn't her boyfriend. They were just friends, if even that.

"A picture," he said, pulling out a piece of paper. "'Cause, you know, you like drawing and coloring and stuff."

She looked at it, not completely sure what it was. "You can't draw. Or color. You're so stupid."

He was still all smiles. "What'd you do yesterday?"

"I told you on the phone. I did homework and watched TV."

He leaned back in his chair. "That's cool."

"Yeah," she said. "What are you going to be for Halloween?"

"I don't celebrate Halloween," he said, shrugging. Tabitha felt embarrassed. Now he thought that she was a big baby.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It's so stupid."

He frowned. "What?"

"Yeah," she went on. "For babies."

He shook his head. "I just don't do it because I can't."

"Because you're always grounded," she decided.

"No," he said, frowning at her. "Muslims don't celebrate Halloween."

"Why not?"

"Something about it bein' a Pagan holiday or something," he said. "I've never been able to go."

"That sucks."

"No," he said. "Not really."

"Yes, it does," Tabitha told him. "Don't you want candy?"

"My mom takes me over to my aunt's and we play games."

Tabitha wasn't impressed. "Being a Muslim sucks."

"No," Adeem said, suddenly very protective over his religion. "That's the only way you get to heaven, Tabitha."

She frowned. That didn't sound right. "No, it's not. You gotta be Christian." Or was it Catholic? She wasn't sure. Weren't they the same thing? Or were they different?

"No," he said, regarding her with suspicion. Was she joking? Did she really think that? "That's how you get sent to hell."

Tabitha was offended. "No. You're going to hell."

"No, you are!"

"Take that back."

"No!"

Tabitha glared at him. "Take it back or else."

"Else what?"

"I won't be your friend anymore."

"Fine," he said. "I take it back…sort of."

It was good enough for her. "Good."

He gave her a smile. "I'll sit with you at lunch today."

"Alright."

Ms. Benoit came out and called Tabitha's name. She rolled her eyes at Adeem before going into her office.

* * *

"My stomach is killing me," I told Fang, laying down on the couch.

"Do you want me to rub it?"

"No," I said, closing my eyes. "I want to just lay here for awhile."

Fang sighed. "Alright. Tell me if you need anything."

"Where are you going?" I asked as he started up the stairs.

"To the attic."

"Fang, stay."

He groaned. "Fine."

Today, Cody and James were with Mom and Gasman had taken Neo somewhere. It was just me, Fang, and my pregnant stomach.

"Come here," he said, picking me up, an amazing feat. "Let's go to our bedroom."

"Alright," I said, cuddling against him. Fang went into our room and laid me down on the bed. "Fang?"

"What?" He asked, getting into bed with me.

"Do you love me?"

He pulled me to him, giving me a gently kiss on the head. "Of course."

I buried my head in his chest. "Fang?"

"What, baby?"

"Did you think that you could love her?"

"Our baby? Of course."

"No," I said. "That woman."

His breath stilled for a moment. "Max-"

"Why, Fang? Huh?"

"Why what?"

"Why her?"

"I told you. She was into everything that I thought-"

"No," I said, looking up at him. "Why did you really want to have sex with her?"

"Max-"

"No. Did you love her?"

"No, Max."

"Did you think that you did?"

"No, never."

"Then why?"

He looked at the wall behind me. "I thought that I…Max, is this really necessary?"

"Yes."

He sighed. "I wanted to see if I really like having sex with you."

"What?"

Nodding, he explained. "Yeah. I mean, think about it, Max. You've gotten to have sex with a bunch of other guys. You've gotten to figure out what you like. I haven't."

"So you were trying to leave me?"

"What? No, Max," he said. "I needed to see if-"

"Fang, shut up."

"No," he said. "You brought it up and now I have to defend myself."

"Nothing you ever say will make it okay, Fang."

"I know," he said, sighing. "I just want explain, alright? Max, I just need you to know that I wanted to know what I liked. I've only really slept with you, you know. I mean, sure, Lydia, but I was so drunk that I don't remember that at all. I wanted to know what it felt like to be with someone other than you."

My throat hurt. "Why didn't you sleep with her then?"

"Because, Max, I couldn't sleep with her. I love you."

I sniffled. "You could have told me that you wanted to try something with someone."

"What? Max, no way you would have let me do that."

"Still could have told me."

He ran a hand down my back. "I love you, Max."

Sadly, that didn't fix a thing.

* * *

"Hey," Damien said, walking into the house.

Samantha, who was crawling over to the couch, stopped. She never had to move when her Daddy was home, only with Mommy. Cameron rolled her eyes as Damien went and picked the baby up.

"Hi, Sam. Did you miss Daddy while he as at work? Huh?"

She giggled as he began to give her kisses. She loved her Daddy. She wanted to ask him why he didn't take her to work with him, but she didn't know how to.

"I love you, Samantha," Damien said, sitting down on the couch. "I love you so much. You're my baby. Did you know that? Huh?"

Cameron, who was sitting in the chair, asked "Could you take that somewhere else, Damien?"

"What?" He sat Sam in his lap. "I'm just loving my baby. You're lucky. You got to spend that whole day with her."

"Yeah, that's what I call it. Luck."

Damien smiled as Samantha ran a hand down his face. "Cameron?"

"What, Damien?"

"I love you."

"Shut up," she said, staring intently at her book.

Samantha started bouncing up and down in Damien's lap. He laughed again, kissing her head. "Sam missed me, Cameron."

"So what?"

"Did you miss me?"

"You were only gone for a few hours."

He sighed. "Cameron, I'm just trying to talk to you."

"And? I'm reading. We can talk later."

"Whatever," Damien said, standing up, taking Samantha with him. "Come on, Sammy. You want to go watch TV with me? Huh?"

Cameron sighed as he went upstairs, presumably to their bedroom. She really did want him in there with her. She just didn't want him to know that.

Peter jumped into Cameron's lap, cuddling against her. Cameron smiled, kissing his head. At least she always knew he'd be there, even if Damien wouldn't be.

* * *

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!"

"Lucas, just shut up," I begged. He had bee singing it since he got home from school. "Please."

He giggled. "But I like that song, Mommy."

"I know," I said. "But I don't feel too good today."

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking up at me worriedly. We were on the couch, watching the news. Well, I was watching. Lucas was singing.

"Nothing," I told him. "My stomach is just upset."

He patted my slightly bigger stomach. "Is it the baby?"

"Yeah."

Lucas made a noise. "I don't like the new baby."

"Why not?"

"He made you sick," Lucas told me.

"He?"

Lucas nodded. "It'll be a boy."

I smiled at him. "How do you know?"

"'Cause girls are nasty."

"Really?"

He nodded. "They chase me at recess!"

"Maybe it's because you're just so cute."

He frowned. "No, I'm not cute."

"Yes, you are."

"No," he said, pushing my hand away when I tried to ruffle his hair.

"Lucas, why are you being such a brat?"

He jumped off the couch. "Dad! Mommy's being mean to me!"

Not soon after Lucas took off in search of Fang, Cody and James came into the room, their new stuffed animals Mom bought them at the zoo in their hands.

"Hey, guys," I said as they got onto the couch with me.

James giggled. "Hi."

Cody laid his head against me. "Hi."

James giggled at their similar responses. "Max?"

"What?" I asked him.

"Hungy."

"You're hungry?" I got up. "Well, come on then."

They followed me into the kitchen. Tabitha was there, doing her homework at the kitchen table.

"Why are you doing that in here?" I asked as the boys began to cheer when they saw me reach for the thing of Oreos. "Why not in your room?"

"Dad's moving my stuff into Gasman's right now," she said, not looking up from her math.

"What?" I handed the boys their cookies before going to the bottom of the stairs. "Fang!"

"What?" He yelled back from somewhere.

"What are you doing?"

He came down the hallway, out of Tabby's room. "Moving Tabs stuff. Why?"

"Fang, your back-"

"Is fine," he finished for me. "Look, Max, we've been promising her to do this for awhile now. Might as well get it over with."

"Fang, I can help you," I offered, though I'm sure my voice and face gave away that I truly didn't want to.

"No," he said, starting back for her bedroom. "You're too pregnant to be moving stuff."

"I am not."

"Gazzy, Tyler, and Alex are helping me. I'm fine," he reassured me. "Just watch the other kids for me, will ya?"

"Where's Lucas?" I asked.

"He's up here too," Fang called back. "Just rest, Max. No stress, remember?"

I groaned, going to sit back down on the couch. Sitting on the couch when you're not supposed to is a lot better than sitting on it when you're being forced to.

* * *

"Do you ever feel like dying?"

Luther glanced at his friend. "The thought of marriage, huh? Don't worry, it'll pass."

Bone shook his head. "No, Luther. I mean like you're going to be killed soon."

Thinking on it for a second, Luther finally shook his head. "No, I haven't. Does that make me narcissistic?"

If Bone was a normal person, he would have rolled his eyes. Ever since the whole raciest discovery, Luther had deemed himself everything from depressed to ADD. Bone wasn't about to even get into all that. "I just feel like something bad's going to happen."

Luther shrugged, pulling out his Ipod. Time for Armor for Sleep. "I don't know, man. I mean, I'm not really the best person to be going to advice for right now."

Bone would love to hear the time that Luther was ever the person to go to advice for. Again, if only he were normal.

"I feel like something bad's going to happen, that's all," Bone said. All this talking was making him tired.

"That sucks," Luther said.

"Yeah, I know," Bone agreed. "It's not like I want something bad to happen."

"No, of course not."

"It's just that I think that it is. Maybe I'm paranoid."

"Maybe."

Bone knew that Luther wasn't listening to him at that point, but he just kept talking. "Promise me that if I die, you'll look after Victoria and Max."

"Promise."

"And the kids too," Bone added after a moments though. "Oh, and Fang and Damien too. Cameron's a given. Max's mom too. And all those kids that Max grew up with."

"Roger that," Luther said as the chorus began in his ears.

"And, and, and…I love you."

That made Luther look up and take the earphone out of his ears. "What?"

"Yeah," Bone said. "Not in a gay way. I'm not gay. At least I hope I'm not."

Luther shook his head. "Are you on something?"

"No," Bone said. "I just feel bad."

"I'm telling you, dude, it's this marriage stuff," Luther insisted. "Rest assured, nothing bad will ever happen to us."

"Really?" Bone asked. He felt like Fang or Damien, believing in Luther like he was God.

"Really," Luther said, putting his headphones back in.

Bone let out a breath, not feeling all that better, but some pressure was off.

"Oh, and Bone?"

"Yeah?"

Luther gave him a weak smile. "I love you too."

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Cameron looked up from the laptop. "What?"

"What are you doing?" Damien repeated. "'Cause clearly you're not eating the dinner I made you."

She looked at the plate she had sat next to her nearly an hour ago. "Yeah…it's cold now."

Damien went into the bathroom. "Sam's in bed."

"That's great, Damien," she said, going back to the laptop.

"Yeah," he agreed, pulling off his shirt. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Have fun with that," she said absent mindedly, typing away at the computer.

"Baby, are you okay?"

"Perfect," she said, engrossed in what she was doing.

"What are you doing?" He asked again, serious this time.

"Nothing," Cameron said.

"Cammie."

"I'm looking at dog breeds, that's all."

Damien swore that Peter's tail began to twitch. "Why would you be doing that?"

She finally looked up. "I'm getting us a dog."

For a second, Damien just looked at Cameron, attempting to see things from her point of view. Then, he abandoned that stupid idea. "What? Cameron, I don't know if you noticed but we kind of have a cat. Not to mention a baby."

"And who's fault is that, Damien?"

"Not mine, Cameron," he said. "I had Peter way before I ever met you."

She looked at him critically. "So you'd chose a cat over me?'

"I didn't say that." Or had he? He loved Peter. They had gone through so much together. So had he and Cameron, but that was different.

"Didn't you?"

Damien narrowed his eyes at Cameron. "Fine. Tell Peter that you don't love him anymore."

She groaned. "I'm not seriously getting rid of the cat, stupid. The dog will be an outside dog."

"And? Peter likes it out there!"

"Damien, stop," she said, holding up a hand. She was treating him like a child, like she could just silence him with her words and motions. The sad thing? She could do exactly that. And, most importantly, she knew that. "We're getting a dog."

"Fine!" He yelled, slamming the bathroom door closed. So what if he really was a child on the inside? He loved his cat and she wasn't going to change that!

* * *

I was sleeping, as most people are at three in the morning, when something woke me up.

"Huh?"

"I need your help."

The words said to me only a few weeks ago by the same boy sounded so different. "Gasman, I'm sleeping."

"Max, I need your help," he repeated.

"With what?" I asked, feeling behind me. That's when I realized that Fang had early shift and had already left.

"I-I'm not sure."

I sat up. "Can this wait until morning?"

"Yes…no. I don't know."

Slowly, I stood up. "Well, come on then."

He followed me to the kitchen.

"You drink coffee?" I asked, going to make a pot regardless.

"With milk."

I rolled my eyes, sitting down at the table. "We're out. Grab a soda."

He did so before sitting across from me. For a minute or two, we just stared at each other, the only sound being that of the coffee maker.

"Well?" I asked when I felt that we had done enough staring for the time being.

"Huh?"

"You're the one that woke me up," I pointed out.

He looked down at the table. "I know. It's just…you normally know what's wrong…"

"Yeah, well, forgive me for not being as helpful at three in the morning."

He started to get up. "You're right. Sorry I woke you. I'll just-"

"No, no," I said, grabbing his hand. We hadn't turned on any lights and it was kind of weird. It made things more dramatic though. I hate to admit it, but over the years, I had become addicted to drama. Almost as much as Luther is to self-pity. "Stay, Gasman. Tell me what's wrong."

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I just…Fang makes everything look so easy."

I cocked my head to the side. "Makes what look so easy?"

"This. All of this," he said, gesturing to with his hands to the darkness around us. "You. The kids. His job."

"Gasman, what do you mean?"

He stared me straight in the eyes. "Don't get me wrong, Max, but you kind of took him back easily, wouldn't you say?"

"That's none of your business."

He sighed. "That's just another thing that he made seem so simple. He can just say something and it's law. You all follow it. I want to be him _so badly_."

"Why?" I asked. Did Fang's life really seem that glamorous? I'd love to be looking through those eyes of Gasman and see what I look like. "Fang's not all that great, trust me."

"But isn't he? He has you, he has his kids, he has a job, a house, a dog, two cats, friends, a life-"

"Are you just trying to tell me that I need to find you some kids to hangout with?" I asked, slightly relieved. "I can sign you up for something down at the rec. center if you want."

"What? No," he said, shaking his head. "It's just…I figured that taking care of Neo would be easy."

I rolled my eyes, getting up. The coffee was done. I went ahead and grabbed him a few cookies while I was up. "You know, Gasman, Fang didn't just get this way."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think that raising to kids alone was easy? Or landing a job at a place like Anime Any Day? Come on, you've met Luther and Bone. And how about how he's had to change? He doesn't fight people anymore, so he has to control his anger. Me leaving when we were fifteen. Oh, and he has to deal with the fact that the School or whoever the hell it is that is tracking us these days, can just come back at anytime and ruin everything he's worked for."

"Yeah, but-"

"Gazzy, you're just seeing things from an outside perspective," I told him. "Fang deals with a lot. So do I. I'm sure that you do too."

"And? He still has an awesome life."

"Really?" I sat back down. "An awesome life?'

"Yes!"

"What about when Tyler was sick? Or when he thought that I was going to divorce him? You can't forget the shit I put Tommy's death has put him through," I said. "He's not as put together as he might appear to you. Fang's just tough skinned."

Gasman shook his head. "No, you're not getting it. You just can't."

"Get what?"

He looked away. "Iggy was, like, my best friend when we were kids. Fang though, he was who I always wanted to be. And now, I feel like I kind of can't anymore."

"Well, that's stupid."

That sure caught his attention.

"Huh?"

"Yeah," I said as his eyes found mine again. "Gasman, you should never want to be someone else. That shouldn't be your dream or your hope."

"Why not?"

"Because you're never going to be," I told him, taking a sip of my coffee. "You don't think that there are a million people that I just wish I was for one day. That doesn't mean I actually ever would be them."

"Why not?"

"Because," I said, getting up. "Then I'm not me anymore. When you're not you anymore, who is?"

He looked confused. "I guess that makes sense."

"Of course it makes sense," I said as he too stood up. "I said it after all."

He finished his soda before throwing it away. "Thanks, Max."

"No problem," I said, still sipping my coffee. "Besides, if you weren't you, I would be so lonely. You're my favorite, after all."

He laughed. "Night, Max. Or morning. Whatever."

"Yeah, sleep well," I said. "And Gasman? If you have to ever be someone else, don't choose Fang. The world has enough of him and so do I."

He gave me a smile before going off to his bedroom, or Tabitha's. Whatever.

* * *

**October 31****st**

Halloween fell on a Thursday this year, but there was no school tomorrow. Teacher work day thing, where only the teachers went in. Whatever. The kids were glad, but I was kind of mad about it. Now I have to deal with them.

"So you're just not going trick or treating?"

Tabitha nodded. "I'm not a baby, Max."

God, sometimes she sounded so much like Angel, even though I knew that she didn't get it from her. Tabitha would be hard press to even pick Angel out of a crowd, much less has she picked up any of her traits by association. Maybe they just both had gotten it from me. I don't know.

"That's a relief," I said.

"Why?"

"I need someone to pass out candy," I told her.

"No," Tabitha whined.

"Yes," I said.

"I can't go trick or treat, though."

"Why not?" Fang asked. He was next to me on the couch, letting me rest against him.

"Because I'm Muslim."

At first, I was trying to figure out what that would have to do with anything. I thought that they went trick or treating? I don't see why they wouldn't. Getting free stuff is great. Then I finally comprehended what she had said.

"No," Fang said, his tone changing, "you're not."

"I could be!" Tabitha crossed her arms. "It's not like I ever go to church, so I'm not exactly something else."

Fang looked like he was about to argue but I cut him off.

"Tell Dr. Martinez that you're Muslim and see what she has to say about it," I said. Mom was very good at scare tactics and threatening. She'd turn Tabitha back Christen in no time.

"I can be whatever I want!" She yelled before running off up the stairs.

"I told you letting her around that boy was a bad idea," Fang said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Oh, shut up," I said. "It's none of our business if she wants to be Muslim."

"I'll take your opinion as soon as you can tell me one thing about Muslims."

I just frowned. However, Fang and I didn't have long to worry about Tabitha's religion. Lucas came running into the room, crying.

"Mommy!"

"What?" I asked, worried. The kids had just gotten home from school and hour ago. What could he possibly have done in that short time? "Are you hurt?"

He forced his way into Fang's lap. "Tyler said that he's gonna take half of my candy!"

"What? Tyler!"

He and Alex came down the stairs. Tyler nodded his head. "Yeah, I said it."

"Why?" Fang asked, trying to comfort Lucas. I just rolled my eyes. Lucas was such a baby.

"Because, he's been staying in my room."

I sighed. I ended up taking Tabitha's suggestion about the rooms. Gasman had his own room, James and Cody shared, Neo had his own room, and Lucas was with Tyler. It wasn't permanent. Just a quick fix to things.

"So what?" I asked, looking hard at him. "That doesn't mean that Lucas owes you anything."

"Yes, it does," Tyler said. "I want half of his candy."

"If you don't tell him sorry for saying that, you're not going to get your candy," Fang came back with his own threat.

"That's not fair!"

"Now, Tyler."

He looked at me. "Max-"

"Just go play in your room," I dismissed him. Tyler and Alex ran off, him pouting the whole way.

Lucas stopped crying. "So I don't have to give it to him?"

"No," Fang said. "Now go away. Me and Mommy are busy."

Lucas jumped down. "Where's Cody and James?"

"With Gasman in his room. Neo's in there too."

After making a shocked face, he ran off to go join them. After he was up the stairs and in Gazzy's room, Fang let out a sigh.

"Kids are annoying."

"That's what I've been saying forever," I said, closing my eyes. "Hey, Fang?"

"What?"

"Have you noticed how weird Bone's been acting recently?"

He shrugged. "He's getting married, Max."

I shook my head. "You weren't weird when we were getting married."

"For what? The two hours before?" He laughed. "You know Bone. He hates change and adjusting. Just give him some time."

"I guess," I said, cuddling into him. "My stomach feels good."

"That's great," Fang said. "You're taking Tyler and Alex. I've got the other boys, and Gasman will be home with Tabitha."

I groaned. "Why do I get Tyler?"

"He's your baby, remember?"

Laughing a little, I said, "Yeah, but he was yours first."

"Max, I ended up with three and you've got two. Be happy."

"I'm trying to be," I said. "I just feel bad about Tabitha thinking that she's too old."

"No, she thinks she's Muslim."

I would have rolled my eyes if they hadn't been closed. "That was just an excuse. She really thinks that she's too old."

"Maybe she is," Fang mused. "I mean, we've always know that she's more mature. Maybe it just seems stupid to her."

"I guess," I sighed. I was starting to get tired. "Wake me when it's time to take them?"

He kissed my head. "Of course."

* * *

"Where were you?" Victoria asked, closing her apartment door as Bone walked in.

"At Max's."

"Why? And don't tell me it's because she's your sister or something stupid like that."

He made a face at her. "I had to take pictures."

"Of what?"

"The kids in their costumes," Bone said, going to sit down on her couch. "Vickie?"

"What?" She asked as she went into the kitchen to get a drink.

"Who's place are we going to stay at?"

"Yours," she said. "Until we buy a house."

He frowned. "Right. A house."

"Uh-huh," she said, coming back with a soda for him. Coke, of course. She had learned that the hard way. Carrie and Max were the only ones that were allowed to like Pepsi. Artemis was weird, but he had his reasons. "With lots of space for the dogs to run around, so that they don't have to stay in the house, a-"

"Whoa, wait a minute," Bone said, his words, tone, and voice shocking the both of them. "My dogs are not meant to live outside. Especially not Bubba."

"Oh, come on, Artemis."

"No," he repeated.

"Well, they can't stay in the house whenever we start having kids."

Kids? God, she was planning kind of far. "Why not?"

She looked at him like he was the stupid one. "Art, Nina is a pitbull. She'd kill a kid!"

Bone got up. "I have to go."

"What? Where? You just got here."

He just stared at her for a second. "My dogs are my life. Just like Max and her kids. If you learned to except the second one, learn to except the first. My dogs are staying wherever I'm staying. Granted, I might make them sleep in the guest room when we get the knew house, but they will be right next door to me."

She sighed. "Sit back down, Art. Please?"

After a second's hesitation, he did so, tentatively. Victoria leaned against him, giving him a small hug.

"See? It's fine, Artemis. We love each other."

He smiled a little. "Yeah."

"Besides," she went on. "We'll work all that out later."

"No, Victoria," he said, sighing. "You don't get it. There is no later. Max, her kids, and my dogs are the only things that you have to understand, okay? They all stay. Whether you do or not is up to you."

She sighed, closing her eyes. He didn't get it. She had to give up so much to be with him. She had to change while he just stayed the same. It wasn't fair. The saying says that all's fair in love and war, but it was so wrong. Nothing was fair about either of them.

"Fine, Artemis. Whatever." She got up and turned off the TV.

"No. If you're mad at me, just say it."

"I'm not," she said. "You were leaving, right? Then go."

He went over to her and gave her a kiss. "As long as you're not mad, okay. I need to go take my dogs out anyways."

She just shook her head as he left.

* * *

"Nice Halloween costume," Luther said. "I'm not surprised though. You're a whore all year round."

"Ha ha, very funny," Tammie said, walking over to the counter. "Where's James?"

"Hell if I know. Last time I checked though, he was staying with Max again."

'What?" Tammie was boiling mad. "I thought that I gave him to my mother?"

"She gave him to Max and Fang, I guess." Luther shrugged. "We don't get much say in things with him. I mean, he's only our son, after all."

Tammie rolled her eyes. "So what's been going on with you, Luther?"

"I found out that I'm a racist and possibly depressed. You?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you on drugs again?"

"No," Luther said truthfully. "I wish, but no. Yourself?"

Shaking her head, she said, "I've been thinking."

"No," he said. "I am not getting back together with you. I will not do that to myself again. If you want to be a lesbian, fine. Be one. It no longer affects me-"

"Not about that, you idiot," she said. "I've been thinking about moving."

Luther perked up. "To where?"

"I don't know," Tammie said. "I just…I kind can't."

"Why not?"

"You know, James and everything."

Luther shrugged. "I've left him before. He doesn't care that much. As long as he has _Max_."

Tammie trembled with hatred. "God, Max just thinks that she's so fucking perfect."

"I know!" Luther stared at his soul mate, or so he once thought. "She just drips with fakeness."

"I know, right? Like some old dude that can't even write scripted out her life."

"Yeah," Luther agreed. "What type of sick freak is God if he came up with her?"

Tammie laughed. "I have to get going."

Luther went back to depressed mode. "Yeah, okay."

"So you're cool if I take off for awhile?"

"Yeah, of course," he said, nodding his head. "I'll tell James bye for you."

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him. "See you later, Luther."

He just gave her a nod before digging his Ipod out of his jeans. Looks like it'd be a double dose of Anberlin tonight.


	22. Chapter 22

Living

Chapter 22

Fang was rubbing my stomach. "So I was thinking."

"Great."

He sighed. "I was thinking about names."

I groaned. "Fang, I'm trying to watch Doo."

"Pooh," Cody corrected, James nodding his head. I had the those two and Neo in bed with me and Fang while we tried to nap. They were watching whatever the hell the yellow thing is called. Where as Tyler and Lucas had fallen for Tigger, Cody and James were in love the bear.

"Yeah, whatever," I said.

Neo started whining. James was holding a finger in front of his face.

"Knock it off, James."

"Not touchin' 'im."

"I said to stop," I said, harsher this time. James whined, cuddling against Fang.

Fang ran a hand down his head. "So, about the name, Max."

I sighed. "What?"

"I was thinking maybe Riley. It could be a boy name or a girl name!"

"No," I said. "I hate that name."

He groaned. "Then you think of some."

"I like Isaac for a boy."

"No," Fang said, making a face at me. "That sounds so old timey."

"I like it."

"Well, I don't," he said, leaning over Cody to give me a kiss. I was on the edge of the bed, Cody in between me and Fang with the other two boys on the other side of him.

"How about Noah?" I asked.

"Eh."

"Jason?"

"It's aright, but not that great."

"Fine," I said. "Let's go ahead and pretend that it's a girl. Then what? I like the name Jade."

Fang shook his head. "How about a boy name?"

"What?"

"For a girl," Fang said, nodding his head. "Like naming a girl Ricky or something."

"I like the name Russell for a girl," I said.

"Too boyish."

"How about Macy for a girl?" I asked.

"No," Fang groaned. "Let's find out the sex and then decide."

Cody patted my hand. "Pooh, Mommy."

I smiled at him. "You think that'll be a good name?"

'Yes," he said, giggling, making James giggle too. Fang smiled, kissing Cody's head.

"We'll take your opinion into account, Code."

* * *

"Isn't someone horny today," Cameron pondered aloud as Damien kissed down her neck.

"Sorry," he whispered, pulling back.

"Don't be," she said, running a hand down his head, pushing him back to her neck.

Damien ran his hands down her body. "I just really want you today."

"Good," she said, turning her head a little. Damien was starting on her shirt when the doorbell rang. "Ignore it, Damien."

It kept ringing. Luckily, it didn't wake Samantha from her nap. Damien was distracted by it though.

"I'm going to see who it is," Damien said.

"No," Cameron pushed him off. "I will. You don't know how to tell people to screw off."

He laid his head down. "Hurry."

"That's the plan, idiot," she said, walking out of the room. When she got to the door and opened it, she saw that it was Luther. "What?"

He smiled at her. "I was wondering-"

"No," she said, starting to close the door. "We're busy."

"This is important!"

"So is what we're doing," Cameron said, closing the door in his face. "And if you ring that doorbell or knock on the door one more time, I'll make sure that you never do what we're doing again."

"Alright, geez," Luther walked dejectedly back to his car. Nowhere to? He could go to Max and Fang's place, but Tabitha wasn't even home yet. There'd be no point in that. Finally, he decided on going to work. Bone was there.

"Late," he said.

"I stopped by Damien's place."

"Cameron's place."

"Whatever," Luther said, shaking his head. "Where's your fiancée today, anyways?"

"Shopping," Bone said.

Luther shuddered at the thought. Though it wasn't his money, he felt the pain that his friend didn't. "With your money?"

Bone shrugged. "She doesn't have my card."

"Sure about that?"

Bone nodded. "I don't even have it. Bubba ate it."

Sighing, Luther sat down next to Bone. "So what are we doing for your bachelors party?"

"Vickie said no."

"What do you mean she said no?"

"I mean what I said. She said no."

"Dude, do not turn into Fang and Damien. Don't let some woman run your life."

Bone glared at Luther. "That's not some woman. That is Victoria Garcia, soon to be Victoria Chill. Or Mrs. Bone Chill. Whatever she likes. Either way, you need to learn to respect her, because she is my wife. If you don't, I'll make sure that you have to pee sitting down from this point on. Same goes for if you ever try to get Fang to cheat again."

Luther knocked the books that were on the counter to the floor before stomping off to the office. Everyone was so mean to him.

* * *

"Do Muslims celebrate Thanksgiving?" Tabitha asked Adeem.

"We don't do nothing for it, no," he said.

It was time for recess, but Tabitha wasn't playing outside. Adeem got in trouble again so he had to stay inside and read. Tabitha told her teacher that she didn't want to go outside and asked if there was any extra work for her to do. Her teacher said no, but he sent her over to Adeem's teacher. Tabitha was supposed to be helping Adeem with his reading skills by making him read out loud to her. And she did, until the teacher left the room of course. Now they were both sitting at his desk, talking.

"Anything," Tabitha corrected.

"Huh?"

"It's not nothing, you should have said anything."

Adeem laughed, making Tabitha from.

"Why do you laugh when I correct you?" She asked.

"Because," he said, "I like it when you correct me."

"Oh," she said, looking down at the desk. He was supposed to be reading a Goosebumps book but Tabitha thought that they were stupid. Tyler liked them which made them clearly made them worthless. "My boyfriend doesn't like me to correct him. Or didn't, I guess."

"You've got a boyfriend?"

"Not no more."

"Anymore," Adeem corrected. Tabitha glared at him, making him change the subject away from her word choice. "What happened to your boyfriend? Did he dump you?"

"No! Yes…it doesn't matter."

"Why not?"

She sat up a little straighter. "I don't need him anymore."

"Why not?"

"I just don't," she said.

Adeem cocked his head to the side. "I just moved here, over the summer."

"So what?"

"When did you guys break up?"

"Before school let out last year. In like April."

"Does he go here?"

"Why?"

"I'll beat him up if you want," Adeem offered.

Tabitha stared at him for a second. "He's dead."

Pausing for a second, Adeem allowed himself to blink a few times before saying something back. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care," she said. "I really don't."

He stared at the cover of his Goosebumps book, looking intently at the living dummy on the cover, reading the small script next to it.

_He walks…_

_He stalks…_

He had it memorized the second time he read it, but it was really the only thing to do. He didn't want to look at Tabitha. What did he say? He was only seven. It wasn't his job to say something supportive or nice, was it? He had never had a girlfriend anyways. How was he supposed to know how to react?

"You wanna finish your book?" Tabitha asked. "Your teacher will get mad if we're on the same spot when she gets back."

He shook his head. "I don't care. We can, if you want."

"No, not really," she said, sighing. Now what? She wanted to go outside now, away from him. Did he think that it was funny that Tommy had broken up with her? Did he think she was weird?

"I'll miss you over break," Adeem said. "I mean, like I'll miss all my other friends."

She made a face at him. "I would figure as much."

"I like how you talk," he said, staring at Slappy the Dummy on the cover of his book. "All correct and stuff. You're, like, grown up and stuff."

She picked up his book and opened it back to where they had left off and began to read to him. When Adeem would read, he would do so slowly, trying to make sure that he got every word right. Tabitha, however, already knew that she'd get every word right and read with confidence, like she had read Night of the Living Dummy twenty times before.

When the teacher came back, she almost said something on the fact that Adeem wasn't the one reading, but once she saw how interested he seemed in the story, she left it alone, letting Tabitha continue to read to him.

* * *

"You don't have to go," Fang said. "I'll go into work for you."

I shook my head. "Then I'd have to go pick up the kids from school. Now that sucks."

He shook his head, giving me a kiss. "Fine. Go. I love you."

"I love you too," I said before looking at the three boys. "Bye, guys. Take care of Fang, okay?"

James giggled. "No go, Max!"

"Yeah," Cody said, though he didn't look up. He was playing with a toy car and it was apparently more important than me.

"I have to," I said, trying to ignore the fact that my son's friend is more upset by my leaving than my own son. "I love you guys, bye-bye."

"Bye-bye," Cody said.

James started to cry, until Fang gave him a cookie and he was fine again. I sighed, leaving the house. When I got to work, Bone was there.

"Hey," I said, going to sit down next to him. "Where's Mr. Depressed?"

"Office."

"Why?"

Bone shrugged. "Love."

I smiled, laying my head down on the counter. "I see that you're better."

"Mean?"

"You've been speaking in run-on sentences for awhile now," I said as he put his jacket around my shoulders. "You're back to one word fragments."

He stroked my hair. "Beautiful."

"Bone, stop it."

"You are," he said, continuing to do it. "You could do so much better."

I pushed his hands away. "If you're going to start on that, go ahead and shut your mouth."

When ever Bone started to talk in more than one worded sentences, we usually fought.

He kissed my head, not at all afraid of me. "If I was different, I would marry you."

"What?"

He nodded. "If you weren't my sister, of course. And if Vickie wasn't my lover."

Lover? Ew! That makes it sound bad. Like when Mom said that Fang and I weren't having enough intercourse. She told this to me everyday when we were separated. There are certain words that just need to be done away with. To name a few, intercourse, lover, making love, and dick as a name. Yes, I am sex obsessed. So what?

"What time do you get off today?" I asked him after a minute of trying to process what he was saying.

"All nighter."

I closed my eyes. "I'm going to sleep."

"That's fine," he said, going back to stroking my hair. "Love."

"I love you too," I said. "Wake me up around seven so that we can get something to eat."

"Yeah," he said. "At seven."

* * *

"Why are you guys doing this?"

"I already told you, Tabitha," Fang said. "Because Max's stomach has been upset for awhile now, and today she said that it was feeling a little better."

"So you're going to make her eat so that if feels bad again tomorrow?"

"Either help or go to your room."

She narrowed her eyes at her father. "Are you sure that this isn't because you had sex with someone else?"

Fang froze before turning around to face his only daughter. He walked over to her, lowering himself to her level. In a harsh, nearly silent tone, he said, "Let's get something straight, Tabitha. You're my daughter. Not my friend, not a neighbor. My daughter. You are not going to say that word. Ever. I've let you do whatever you want and listen to adult conversations because of all the stuff that happened with Tommy, but that's over. You know that you aren't allowed to say that word. You don't even know what it means!"

"Yes, I do. Kind of."

Fang's eyes stared deep into his daughter's. "I am so close to spanking you, you don't even know."

"You don't hit me."

"I haven't recently, or maybe ever, but I will."

She crossed her arms. "You still cheated and you're still going to Hell."

He slapped her mouth. At first, Tabitha was in shock. Then she began to cry.

"I'm telling!" She yelled, running out of the room. Even though she thought she was grown up, she was still a little girl and didn't like punishment.

Lucas, who was mixing something in a bowl, what he wasn't sure, began to giggle. "It's okay, Daddy. I cheated on my test yesterday."

Alex, who was help Tyler crack eggs, frowned. "What was the test over?"

"My ABC's."

"_Por que-_"

"Don't ask," Tyler advised. "He's not that smart."

"Yes, I am!" Lucas got offended. "At least I didn't get hit."

"Shut your mouth," Fang said, going back over to the stove. Cody and James stood up and started to walk out of the kitchen. "Where do you think that you two are going?"

"Check Tabs," Cody said, James nodding.

"No. You sit down and keep playing with your toys."

"We finish."

"No," Fang said again.

"Sit down," Lucas instructed. "He'll hit you two. Trust me."

"Lucas, I have never hit you," Fang said, clearly agitated.

"That's 'cause I'm your favorite," Lucas said. "Duh."

Fang sighed. "Just sit down and keep playing, boys. Tabitha is fine."

"She cw-eye."

"What?"

"Cw-eye," Cody repeated. "'ike wa-wa."

He started rubbing his eyes. James nodded, imitating his friend. They both started to make crying noises.

"Shut up!" Tyler yelled, now done with the whole thing. He took bowl of eggs that he and Alex had made and threw it on the two year olds, making them begin to cry for real.

"Tyler! Goddamn it," Fang yelled, grabbing his son's hand. He hit him hard on the butt. "Go to your fucking room."

"You cursed at me! I didn't talk about you going to hell!"

"You want to get spanked again?"

"I'm going to steal your phone again so that Max'll make you leave again."

"Go to your room!"

Tyler ran off, yelling. Alex jumped off. At first, Fang figured that she'd go after her friend, but she didn't. She went over to the sink and grabbed a washcloth that was wet.

"Here, Cody," she said, going to sit next to him and James. She gently wiped the yoke out of Cody's eyes and forehead before doing the same to James. Then she started wiping off the rest of them. "It's not that bad. You're just sticky. Now you have to take a _baño_."

James sniffled. "Wha'?"

"A bath," she said, continuing to scrub them.

Fang sighed, leaning against the counter. It would be easy to say that he wanted Alex as a kid, or at least for Tabitha and Tyler to have her attitude to things. He was sure though that Alex had her bad days, though the only one he had seen was when she hit Tyler.

"Told ya," Lucas said, still stirring the stuff in his bowl. "That's why I'm your favorite."

* * *

"Go away!"

I sighed, closing the bedroom door behind me. "I brought you some dinner."

"So? He hit me, Max."

I went to sit down on her bed. "Here. I heated it up and everything."

"What is it?"

"Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, which Lucas made, and-"

"He was mixing something."

"Yeah, he got confused."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Max, you need to leave him."

"Lucas? It was an honest mistake."

"Max."

I sat her plate on her night table. "Let's talk, Tabitha."

We laid down on her bed and she cuddled against me. I ran a hand down her head. "Tabitha, me and your father are not going to leave each other. We love each other."

"But-"

"And the word…sex is not a word you can say."

"Why not?"

"Because your seven, Tabitha. Where did you even learn about that word?"

"You, Luther, Dad, Bone, Cameron, Dr. Martinez-"

"Wait, when did Mom talk about that?"

She looked up at me. "She was talking to you when you and Dad were-"

"Okay, I know. Never mind."

"How come you can all say it and I can't?" She asked.

"Because we're adults."

"So? I'm smarter than all of you."

"Don't you even start with me, Tabitha," I told her, my voice turning stern.

She pouted, but didn't say anything. I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Tabitha, that word is way beyond your vocabulary. Give it a few years and we'll talk. I promise."

"I guess."

"Good," I said, getting out of the bed. "Eat your dinner. I'll see you in the morning."

"What about my shower?"

"You had better wake up a little early and take one," I said, walking out of the room. I went back to the kitchen and made Tyler some food before going into his room. He was hiding under his blanket, talking to himself.

"Ty? Are you okay?"

He shot up, pulling off the covers. "Max, he hit me!"

"I know," I said. "I brought you food."

He gratefully took it, immediately beginning to eat. "I thought he was going to starve me!"

"You know I would never let that happen," I said, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Where's Alex?" Tyler asked through a mouthful of food. I had poured ketchup all over the whole plate, knowing that he liked it that way.

"In the living room, waiting to see if she can come back in here or not."

He cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, I guess that'd be okay."

"Good," I said, kissing his head. "Tyler, you can't yell at your father."

"He can't cuss."

"I know," I said. "I'll talk to him about it, I promise."

He sniffled. "I love you, Mama."

I gave him one more kiss. "I know. Alex'll be up here in a minute. After you eat, the two of you, and Lucas, need to go to bed."

"Okay," he said, laying down. "Night, Max."

"Goodnight," I said, walking out of the room. After getting all the other kids off to where they were supposed to be for the night, I went into the kitchen. Gasman was looking through the fridge.

"Didn't you eat?" I asked, looking at my untouched plate. The second Fang told me that the twins were in trouble, food was unnecessary for me.

"Still hungry," he said. "Man, almost came down here around six, but it sounded like Armageddon."

"That's what happens when the queen is out. The king gets too big for his britches."

Gasman made a face at me. "So what am I? Like the price or something?"

"Oh no, defiantly not. You're like…Tybalt for Romeo and Juliet. Your that cousin that's just there."

"First off, they weren't royalty, secondly, he dies."

"Damn it, Gasman! You just ruined the book!"

He just rolled his eyes.

* * *

When I went into the bedroom, Fang was in the bathroom, showering. I sighed, getting into bed. Today had been stressful, or at least the last half had been. I hadn't even had a chance to thank Fang for being so thoughtful, even if it did blow up in his cute little face.

"Hey," I said as he walked out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist. "Trying to give me a hint?"

He dropped the towel and went over to the closet. "I just figured you'd have Lucas in here or something, that's what the towel was about."

"What are you doing?" I asked as he put on a shirt and a pair of sleep pants.

"Huh?"

"You haven't worn that much to be since we first moved in together."

Fang looked down at himself. "I'm cold."

"Take all that off and come here."

He groaned, but did take off the clothes. "Can I at least put on my boxers?"

"If you have to."

Apparently, he did have to. After he had them on, he crawled into bed with me. "I feel bad."

"About hitting Tabitha?"

"Kind of, but mainly making them go to bed without dinner."

"Oh, you didn't," I said.

"Yeah, I did."

"No," I told him. "I brought them food."

"What? Max-"

"Fang, I don't like my babies to be hungry."

He sighed, rubbing a hand down my stomach. "Max, she kept saying that I slept with someone. I didn't. And, she's seven."

"I know," I said. "I talked to her. And Tyler."

He kissed my stomach. "Why do they have to be so bad? I liked them better when they were two."

"I don't," I said. "Two year olds are repetitive and you have to spend every second with them. And what about when they'd ask to take a sip of your drink and they'd backwash?"

He ignored me. "I just want them to stop acting up so much."

"They're kids, Fang."

"Still," he mumbled. "I want them to be babies again. Not babies like you think babies, but Cody and James babies. I love little kids."

I ran a hand down his face. "Is that why you always want me pregnant?"

"No. Don't get me wrong, I love the twins. They were my first kids."

I pushed him away. "You forgot again."

"I did not," he said, pulling me to him. "Kevin was my first baby, sure, but I never knew him, Max. Tyler and Tabitha were, in my mind, my first kids."

I allowed him to pull me back to him. "I miss Kevin."

He kissed my head. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I love him, Max, and I miss him too."

"No, you don't. You can't miss something that you never had."

"Max, I'll always have him," Fang said. "That's why I got his name on my chest. He's my heart."

I closed my eyes. "Let's just go to sleep."

He kissed my cheek. "Goodnight, Max. I love you."

* * *

"He hit you?"

Tabitha nodded. "Yeah. I hate him."

Adeem shrugged. "I get in trouble sometimes and get spanked."

"He hit me in the mouth! I hate him."

"I finished my book last night," he said.

"You read it?"

"Yep," Adeem said. They were at lunch and he was sitting at her class's table again, knowing that he'd probably get in trouble for it, but not caring. "You want my pudding?"

She took it from him. "Tyler got hit too."

Adeem laughed. "Good."

"Yeah," she said. "At least I think he got hit. I don't know. I wasn't down there. I think that's what Max said this morning."

"How come you call your mom Max?"

"She's my step mom."

"That's cool, I guess," he said. "Where's your real mom?"

Tabitha started eating his pudding. "I don't know."

"Is she dead too?"

"No," Tabitha said, making a face at him. "I don't think. She just doesn't like me and Tyler."

"Why not?"

"Because she thinks that we're bad or something."

"Don't you care what she thinks?"

Tabitha shook her head. "I like Max better."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Tabitha said, handing Adeem the rest of her chips.

He smiled, taking them. "You like her more than your dad?"

"Yes!"

His laughter was loud enough to make the lunch monitor, Mrs. Henry, to notice him and come over. She made him go back to his table, giving him a detention in the process. He argued with her and got sent to the principal. He smiled at Tabitha as he got led away.

* * *

"Crap!"

Cameron rolled over. "What?"

Damien jumped out of bed. "I'm late."

"Baby, if anyone would be late after sex, it would be me."

"Shut up, Cameron," he said, rushing the closet.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"What part of 'I'm late' didn't you get?"

"For work?" She asked.

"Yes!"

Cameron pulled the blankets up around her more. "What time is it?"

"Almost one."

"When were you supposed to be there?"

"Eight."

"Someone's gonna get it," she said. "Isn't it weird that the baby let us sleep this long?"

Damien pulled a shirt over his head. "Go check on her. I have to go."

"But I'm naked."

"Then get dressed," he said, walking out of the bedroom. "Bye, Cameron."

She just groaned. After laying there for a few minutes, she got up and got dressed.

"Sam?" She went into the baby's bedroom. Samantha was sitting up in her crib, waiting. "Are you okay?"

Samantha lifted up her arms. "Ah!"

Cameron picked her up. "You slept all night and all day. Are you sick?"

Samantha laid her head on her mother's shoulder. Where was Daddy? She had been waiting for him. "Na ba, coo."

"Yeah," Cameron said. She changed the baby's clothes before taking her down stairs. Once they were in the living room, she sat the baby down on the ground. "Come on, let's go find something to eat."

Samantha followed behind her mother. Looked like Daddy wasn't home. She liked Cameron, but not as much as Damien. He'd play with her, talk to her, take naps with her. Cameron just fed her and then made her play all by herself.

After Cameron fed the baby and had eaten too, she went into the living room. "Look, we're in time for-"

Her phone rang. Cameron groaned loudly before puling her cell out of her pocket. "Hello?"

"Hey, Cam."

She froze. "Paul?"

"Yeah," he said. "I know that a lot's happened since me last talked but-"

"I have to go."

"Wait," he said. "I know I haven't seen you since the funeral but-"

"I really need to go," she repeated.

"I wanted to know if you guys were coming down for Thanksgiving this year," he said before she could hang up on him.

"No," Cameron said.

"What? You always do."

"Yeah, well, I have Samantha now and I don't want her flying."

"Cameron, I'll pay for your plan tickets. Please. I need to see you."

"Why?"

"You know," Paul said. "Check on you, make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"I don't like you living all the way out there alone," he said.

"I'm not alone. I have Damien now. I'm fine."

He sighed. "Cameron, just thinking about moving out here."

"No," she said. "I like it here."

"Everything bad happened there."

She closed her eyes. "I'm not moving. Damien's job is here."

"I can land him one out here! Maybe even something more…grown up than tattooing."

"He is plenty grown up."

"No, he's not. You know he's not."

"Leave me alone, Paul."

"No," he said. "You're my little sister. I want you down here where I can watch over you."

"You don't need to watch over me!"

Paul took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What do you have out there, Cam? Huh?"

"Everything. Everyone."

"Who?"

"I have plenty of friends," she said, lying to herself. "So does Damien. And his parents are down here. He loves his mother."

"Cameron, if he really does love you, he'll give that up for you."

"I don't want to be near you, alright? I just don't," she said. "I hate being around you. I hate you. You're not Trent, you're never going to be Trent, and I hate you for that. So just leave me the hell alone."

It was silent for a second. He cleared his throat. "If that's the way you feel, fine. Just know that if you ever want to come down here, just call me. I'll pay for gas, for tickets, whatever. I love you, Cameron."

He hung up. Cameron sat there, staring at her phone for a minute.

"Ma."

She ignored the baby. Samantha giggled, crawling over. She patted her mother's leg.

"Ma…ma!" She giggled again. "Mama."

"What?" Cameron looked down at her. "Would you just shut up?"

"Mama," she said again, just wanting Cameron's attention. "Mama."

"Just shut up! God."

Samantha laughed, sitting down on her butt. She began to clap her hands. "Mama."

Cameron laid down, closing her eyes. She hated this. All of it.

* * *

James started bouncing in my arms. "Look!"

I turned my head. We were walking into Anime Any Day and he was pointing down the street.

"Hi!" Cody yelled. He was holding onto my jeans, but was waving with his other one. They saw Damien walking down the street.

"Hi, boys," Damien said, walking over to the store. "Here, Max, let me take James. Why do you have all three boys?"

He took James and Neo from me, also holding the door with his foot. Once we were inside, he sat James down and he and Cody ran off to play hide and seek. I took Neo back.

"Thanks," I said, going behind the counter. "How are you today?"

"Bad," he said, nodding at Luther. "I was late for work and got yelled at."

"You?" Luther seemed shocked. "You're never late to work."

"I know," Damien said, walking into the bookshelves. "Me and Cameron woke up late."

"Sam let you sleep?" I looked down at Neo. He was sitting in my lap, blowing spit bubbles. "One of our kids always has us up by at least six, if not four."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged. "Sam's not much of a crier."

"Hi, Daddy!" James yelled, running over to us. "Up?"

"We payin' James!" Cody complained, stomping over to us.

"Not now," Luther said. He was texting someone. "Go bother Damien."

James's eyes began to water. He was very sensitive. "No up?"

"Come here," I said, setting Neo on the floor. "It's okay."

"See? You baby him," Luther said.

"At least I take care of him."

"I don't have to listen to you, you know. I could just fire you."

'Please do."

"Don't tempt me."

Damien came back up front with some books in his hands. "Max, are you okay with keeping James? I know that my Mom has been busy, but me and Cameron can watch him, if you need us to."

"No, of course not," I said, rubbing James's back. "He's fine with us."

"Alright," Damien said. "You just have all those kids."

"We're fine with them," I said, moving James around so that I could ring Damien up. "Can you say bye-bye to your uncle? Huh?"

James sniffled. "Bye-bye."

"Bye-bye," Cody said too. He was on the ground, trying to untie his shoe.

"You get that in a knot and you're in trouble," I warned.

"Bye-bye, guys," Damien said, patting James's head. They both needed hair guts. Cody had wavy hair and James's was a little ball of fuzz. As he wasn't my child, I was never sure what I was allowed to do with his hair. Now that Tammie has taken off though, I think that it's a free for all. "I'll see you later, okay?"

After he was gone, Luther got up. He was mad at me, I guess.

"Are you leaving?" I asked as he walked out the door.

"Got a party to go get ready for," he said, walking out the door.

James laid his head on my shoulder. "Love Max."

I gave him a kiss. "I love you too."

"Me!" Cody climbed up onto the stool next to me. "Love?"

"Of course," I said. I sat James back down. "Now let me hold Neo for awhile, okay? Play with each other."

James climbed onto the stool with Cody. He didn't fit. He almost fell but he held onto the counter. "Max!"

I sighed, picking him up and setting him down before setting Cody on the ground too.

* * *

"Where's Mommy?" Lucas asked. He was the first in the car. He had been running from some girls.

"At work," Fang said. "She has the other boys too."

Tyler was the next in. He sat in the back seat with out even complaining. Tabitha always got to sit in the front. After a minute, she got into the car too.

"Alright, guys," Fang said, pulling away from the school. "We have to stop by the store. What do you want me to get for dinner tonight? I've got to work. Max will be back around seven and I go in at eight."

"I want Mommy to make dinner," Lucas said. He loved hotdogs with macaroni and cheese.

"No!" The two full blooded siblings said at the same time.

"I'll make something," Fang said. "What do you want?"

Neither answered him. They were both mad at their father.

"Look, guys, if you don't answer me, Lucas will get his way."

"Shhh," Lucas said. "Be quiet. Let me get my food."

"I want pizza," Tyler said. "No store."

He was upset because today was the day that Alex went back home. Her parents had picked her up from school. He wanted Alex to stay with them forever.

"We're going to the store regardless," Fang said. "What do you think, Tabs? Pizza good?"

"I hate you."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Whatever. I really don't care."

Lucas started singing his own version of Lovegame. "Let's have some sun, my mom is sick. I wanna take a ride on a slow mo stick. Let's have some sun-"

"Stop!" Tyler yelled. "Just shut up."

"Tyler, not screaming," Fang said, sighing. Was he really going to bring them into the store?

* * *

"Hey, baby," Damien said, walking through the front door. Cameron was, as always, on the couch, Samantha playing with toys. "And hi, Samantha. How are you today?"

He went over to the baby and picked her up. Samantha squealed. Daddy was home! Damien gave his baby a kiss, sitting down in the chair.

"Man, Cameron, I sure did get in trouble," he said, putting Sam in his lap. "But it's okay. I just won't ever do it again."

Cameron sighed. "I'm not going to see my brother this year."

"…Why not?"

"I'm just not, okay?"

"Okay," he said, looking down at Samantha. "What do you want to do then?"

"Just the two of us would be fine."

"Three," Damien corrected. "But, if we're going to be stuck here anyways, I want to go with my mom to her uncle's house."

She didn't want to spend time with Damien's family. She already didn't like the family that she knew now. "Fine, I guess."

"So, I guess you're on your own for Thanksgiving."

Wait, what? "Damien, I'm going with you."

"Oh."

She sat up. "Did you not want me to go?"

"What? No, of course not. I would love for you to go."

"Then what?"

"Nothing," he said. "It's just that I figured you wouldn't like my family. I mean, you're not exactly used to…family togetherness."

"So what? Besides, I met some of your family before."

"Yeah, two of my nieces, a nephew, and saw one aunt. They're not the ones that I'm worried about."

Cameron frowned. "What does that m-"

"Mama!" Samantha reached towards the couch.

Damien smiled broadly. "Hear that? She said mama!"

Samantha, having waited for someone to finally have an energetic response to her, began to giggle loudly. Damien showered her with kisses and hugs.

Cameron rolled her eyes. "You're so freaking annoying."

"I just love my baby," Damien said. "And she loves me and you."

"Mama."

"Just make her shut up, okay?" Cameron got up. "God."

She stomped off upstairs. Damien just smiled. "Don't worry, Sam, she's happy. So am I. Wait until you can say dada."

She giggled, cuddling against him. She loved her daddy.

* * *

Fang kissed my head. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I moaned. "I don't want you to go."

"I know," he said, kissing my neck. "Trust me, I know."

I ran a hand down his back. "What if you were just a little, bitty late."

Fang, catching on to what I was doing, shook his head. "You should know, Max, nothing about me is little bitty."

I laughed as he pulled off my shirt. We hadn't had sex since before our break up. I either hadn't been feeling well or was mad at him.

"This bra looks so uncomfortable," Fang mumbled against my neck.

"Why don't you take it off for me?"

"Gladly."

I giggled as he began stroking my face. "I love you."

He gave me a kiss on the nose. "I love you too."

"Max?"

Fucking hell.

"Close the door!" Fang turned his head. "Give us a second, Tabitha."

"Nice, Fang," I said as he got off the bed and found my shirt and bra for me. "Try locking the door next time."

"Me?" He sent me a look. "You're the one that started it."

"You know that I always forget those things," I said, dressing again. "Come in, Tabitha."

She walked in, looking curiously at Fang and me. Then she seemed to remember what Fang had done to her the night before and her face changed to anger. "I want to talk to Max."

"Too bad," Fang said, laying back down in bed. "You get both, or you get none."

She frowned. "Fine. Max, if _he_ died, would you get married again?"

Fang frowned. "Did you poison me or something?"

I elbowed him. "Come here, Tabitha."

"I'm too old to-"

"No, you're not."

She reluctantly got into bed with us. "Would you?"

"I don't know," I said, looking down at her. Then I changed my sight to Fang. "If I thought that I was ready for it, and that you guys were, then I might. I'd have to really love the guy."

"Or girl," Tabitha said.

"What?" He started to make his own connects on what the conversation meant. "Just because Tammie is a lesbian and Carlos is gay does not mean that you can be, Tabitha. Under no circumstances-"

"Ew!" She made a sick face. "I don't like a girl!"

Fang blushed. "Then why did you-"

"Tammie told me I needed to be political."

"What?"

"She means politically correct," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Does that mean I have to be president?" She asked.

"No," Fang said, frowning. "And you do not have to be politically correct. That's just a bunch of bull-"

I elbowed him again. "Tabitha, is this about Adeem?"

She put her face in my pillow. "No!"

Fang relaxed. "So it's about a boy? Definitely not about a girl?"

"Fang, go to work," I said, frowning at him.

"No."

Tabitha looked at me. "Would you be mad if _he_ got married again?"

I hesitated. "No, not if he loved her and she was nice to you guys."

Fang ran a hand down Tabitha's back. "Is that all?"

"No," she said, looking at him now. "Would you be mad if Max got married again after you died?"

He gave her a kiss on the head and then me. Getting out of the bed, he said, "No."

"Going to work?" I asked.

"Yep," he said. "Bye girls."

"Bye," I said. "I'll call you tonight."

"'bout what?"

"Just be in the bathroom when I call."

Fang smiled. "See you later, Tabitha. Remember, political correctness is the work of the devil. Gays are an abomination onto God-"

"Fang, get out!"

He frowned at me, as if judging my ability to hurt him from so far away. "And don't forget, Muslims are going to h-"

I threw a pillow at him, which missed only because he closed the door. "God."

"I love you two, bye!" Fang yelled before leaving the house.

Tabitha looked at me. "So Tommy wouldn't be mad at me?"

I looked down at her. "Why do you want Adeem to be your boyfriend so badly? Maybe being friends-"

"I didn't say that I did!"

"Okay, okay," I said, holding my hands up. "Just trying to help."

She moved over a little, into Fang's spot. "What were you and Dad doing?"

"When?"

"When I came in."

I frowned at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"But-"

"I have to go make sure that all the boys have had their baths and stuff."

"Everyone has except for Cody and James," she said, not moving from Fang's spot on the bed.

"You want to help me bathe them?" I asked her, headed to the door.

"No," she said flatly.

"Fine then, your loss," I said. "They are both pretty funny."

"Yeah, because fart bubbles are funny."

"The funniest."

* * *

Nina laid her head in Bone's lap, watching as Victoria went through their precious living room, throwing away things that she thought they 'didn't need'. Bone said that if she touched anything that belonged to Carrie or Carol though, they wouldn't be getting married.

"What about this?" Victoria asked him, holding up a box.

"In?"

"Nails."

He nodded his head. "Need."

She looked at him skeptically. "For what?"

"Building."

"Building what?"

"If I knew, I'd have used them."

"Trash," she said, throwing them away. Bubba let out a loud moan from the other room. "Now, how about-"

His cell going off stopped her from talking. She was right next to it so she answered.

"Hello?"

There was a pause on the other end. "Trina? You're with Bone?"

"This isn't Trina."

Bone jumped up. "Give me the phone."

Victoria turned from him as the other girl asked "It isn't?"

"No. This is Victoria. His fiancée."

"Give me the phone," Bone said, finally snatching it from her. "I told you not to call here anymore."

"I know," said the girl on the other end. "But Luther has this really awesome party going on and-"

"I'm getting married. I told you, that shit is over."

"Bone, don't be like that."

"Just leave me alone," he said, hanging up. "Vickie-"

"Shut up. Who was that?"

Bone frowned. "Am I supposed to tell you or shut up?"

"Artemis!"

"What?" He put his phone in his pocket. "It was one of Luther's friends."

"Right, whatever," she said, walking to the door.

"Vickie, don't," he said, grabbing her arm.

"Let me go."

"No," he said.

From the bedroom, Bubba let out another loud groan. He had gas really bad. The dog only wanted someone to come rub his stomach for him, that's all. Even Nina wouldn't go in there though, not with how horrible it smelt.

"If you're just going to sit there and lie to me-"

"I'm not," Bone said, pulling her to him. "Luther has these orgy parties-"

"Ew. I do not need to know this," she said.

"Look, I just used to go to them. I don't anymore. Not since you and I started-"

"You what?"

"Stopped going."

"You went at all?" She seemed disgusted. With him. Bone let go of her arm.

"Yeah, but I gave it up, for you. Doesn't that mean anything?"

She backed away from him. "I have to go, Artemis."

"What about cleaning?"

"You expect me to just keep cleaning after what you said?"

He nodded. "Or at least watch TV with me."

"God, you are sick."

He sat down on the couch. "Not anymore."

"What about STD's? Did you get tested? When I was sleeping with you, I didn't think that I was-"

"I'm clean," he said as Nina laid her head back down in her lap. "Please don't leave, Vickie."

"Why should I stay?"

He smiled at her. "I'll let you clean out all this stuff, no complaints."

Yeah, because that made him less sick to look at.

She slowly sat back down. "What about this?"

He looked at the baseball. "Signed."

"By who?"

He shrugged. "Just know that it's signed."

"So, it's trash."

"N-"

"No complaints, remember?"

He sighed, looking down at Nina. This was going to be a long night.


	23. Chapter 23

Living

Chapter 23

"You're so smart," Fang whispered. "You know that?"

Cody giggled. "Yes."

"I'm smart too," Lucas butted in.

"Shush," I said, pushing his head a little. We were in the living room. I was on the couch with James in my lap, Lucas next to me. On the other side of Lucas was Fang, with Cody in my lap. "Be nice."

It was the Saturday after the last day of school until Thanksgiving break is over. Tabitha was spending the day with Mom and later Luther, when he gets off work, and Alex was visiting family or something. They would be back on Wednesday, so Tyler was on his own for awhile.

"Max!" Tyler came running into the room. "I want you to know something."

"What?" I asked as James began rubbing against my stomach.

"Baby in dere," he told me, giggling.

"Shut up, James. I was talking first," Tyler said.

"Tyler," I started. "Be nice, like I just told Lucas. You're the big brother."

"I'm not his brother!"

"Yes," James said, looking up at me. "Me you baby?"

I hesitated. "Shhh, James."

He giggled, cuddling against me. Tyler stomped his foot impatiently. "Well?"

I sighed. "Go ahead, Tyler."

"Alright," he began. "I need you to drive me to California."

I sighed. "Why, Tyler?"

"I've got a gag."

"You mean gig?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"With who?" Fang asked.

"I don't know yet," he said. "I'mma go down there and make a new band. We'll be playing a concert before Thanksgiving!"

I sighed. "Fang, it's your turn."

"Tyler, you can't just go out to California. It doesn't work that way," Fang told Tyler.

"Yes, I can. Right, Max?"

"No," I said. James started wiggling in my arms until I sat him down on the ground.

"'mon," James called to Cody. My youngest son jumped down from Fang's lap.

"Where are you going?" I asked them.

"Fox," James said, going over to the orange and white cat. "Hi."

"Hi," Cody also greeted the cat. They began to pet him, giggling when he started licking their hands.

"That's my cat!" Lucas yelled, jumping up. "Sure, you can play with him, but only with my permission."

Tyler stomped off up the stairs. "If you don't respect me as a bandleader, fine! I'll just go play all by myself!"

"Have fun," I called, moving closer to Fang. Laying my head down on his shoulder, I said, "My stomach's upset."

"You want me to rub it?" He asked. Not waiting for my answer, he started to. "There. That feel better?"

I just moaned, closing my eyes.

"Sick?" James came back over to us.

"Max is fine," Fang said. "Go play."

He patted my leg. "Nap, Max."

I smiled. "Go play."

He giggled before away. Fang gave me a kiss on the head. "Doctor on Monday."

"I know," I said. "Are we going to ask?"

"About the sex?"

"Yeah."

"I guess," Fang said. "It's up to you, baby. I already know what it is."

"Do you?"

"Yep. It's going to be a girl."

"Would you bet your comic book collection?"

"Yes," Fang said. "I can just feel it."

"That's creepy."

"Shut up," he sighed.

* * *

"When we have a baby-"

"Obsessed."

"Artemis, listen to my question!"

He sighed, looking down at her. Once she knew he was listening, she started again.

"Okay, so if we have a baby, would you be okay if it was a girl?"

He shrugged. "Why?"

She blushed, burying her head in his side. "It's just...all that stuff that happened with your niece and-"

"Shut up, okay?" He looked down at her. "Whatever we have is fine."

"I was just-"

"Stop," Bone said. "Just cut it out, alright?"

She sighed. "Whatever, Artemis."

"Why are you whatevering me?" He asked. "You're the one that's acting like-"

"Just shut up, okay?" She put her back to him.

Bone sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was letting it grow out some, after Lucas suggested it. "I have work. Are we okay?"

"We're fine," she said. "Leave."

"Are you staying?" He asked, getting out of bed.

"What?"

"Are you going back to your apartment?" He asked, going to put on his shoes.

"I might."

"Can you take the dogs out before you do?" He opened the bedroom door. "See you tomorrow, Vickie."

"Yeah, sure."

"Love."

"Just leave."

He paused. "Not until you say it back."

"I love you too," she said.

Bone smiled. "Bye."

* * *

"Luther?"

He glanced at her before back at the road. "What?"

"Do you hate Adeem?"

"Tabitha-"

"Max says that you shouldn't hate him. It's not his fault that Tommy died."

Luther frowned. "What? No, Tabitha. It's not because Tommy died."

"Oh," she said, laying her head against the window of the car. "How come he can't come over then?"

"Your dad doesn't want him to."

"But I'm with you," she pointed out.

Luther sighed. "Alright."

* * *

Fang and I were napping with Cody, James, and Neo. Well, Fang and the boys were napping, but I was laying there, wishing for death. Okay, so that's kind of dramatic. It's just that my stomach was killing me.

"Fang?" I turned to face him. The three boys were between us, so I couldn't cuddle against him. "Fang?"

"What?" He didn't open his eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm going to go lay on the couch."

He opened his eyes. "Are you on the edge? You need me to move the boys over some?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm just a little nauseous."

"Max, are you sure that this has to do with the baby? Are you sick?"

"No."

He sighed. "You need to tell the doctor about how sick you get."

"I'm fine."

Fang shook his head. "Go lay on the couch then? Can you check on Luke too?"

I nodded, getting up and walking out of the room. Lucas was in the living room, playing with Gasman.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked, going to lay down on the couch.

"I'm teaching him to play Mario Kart," Gazzy said.

"You sick?" Lucas looked at me with worry. "Want me to rub your tummy? I'mma good tummy rubber. Huh, Fox?"

The cat purred as Lucas began to rub his stomach.

"Lucas! You fell off the road," Gasman complained.

"I don't like this game," Lucas said, setting down his control. "I wanna play house."

Groaning, Gasman said, "Max, you've turn him into a girl."

"The daughter I always wanted," I said as Lucas came over to me. "Huh Lucas?"

He shook his head. "I'm not a girl."

"How do you know?"

"I'll show ya," he said before falling over in giggles.

Boys…

* * *

"Why are you both riding in the back?" Luther asked, pulling away from Adeem's house. "Is it because I'm a racist?"

Adeem exchanged glances with Tabitha. "Is he okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "He's fine, just crazy."

"_Just_ crazy?"

Tabitha nodded. "And sometimes drunk."

"I can hear you, you know," Luther said. "And, no, I am not drunk. Where did you learn about that word?"

"From you," Tabitha said, reaching over and grabbing Adeem's hand. He watched as she wrote hi on it in a Sharpie she had found at home. He smiled.

"What are you two doing?"

"Nothing," Tabitha said, putting the cap back on the ink pen. "Where are we going, Luther?"

"Like I told Adeem's parents, to my house," Luther said. "First, though, I need to stop by Damien's parents house."

"Who's Damien?" Adeem asked.

"One of my dad's friends."

"Your dad has a lot of friends."

She nodded. "And he had a girlfriend."

"Tabitha!" Luther pulled up to the house. "God. Just shut your mouth about that, okay? Stay in the car, I'll be back."

Luther wasn't gone a minute before Tabitha unbuckled her seat belt. Adeem looked at her with interest. "What are you doing? He said to stay in the car."

"So? I want to see Mrs. Sheer and ask her something."

Adeem sighed, following Tabitha.

"I don't know why I just can't go with you,' Luther was saying.

"Luther, sweetie, you're not really family anymore. And Dan's going, along with Cameron, Damien, Samantha, and me. There's not room in the car for you."

"I'll drive myself."

"I don't- Well, hello, Tabitha," Trinity said, finally noticing her and Adeem. "Luther didn't say that you were with him. And with a friend too."

She nodded. "This is Adeem."

"That Muslim?" Dan snorted. "What do you want, kids? Don't you know where your home is?"

"Dan, stop it. It's not like Tabitha ever comes over here."

"I know that. I was talking to Luther," he said, trying to hide his amusement with himself. Dan thought that he was hilarious.

Trinity didn't think so. "Why can't you be nice just for once?"

"What? I'm taking you to see your stupid family for Thanksgiving, ain't I?"

"Oh, my stupid family?"

"Yeah, your stupid family."

"Like yours is any better!"

Luther grabbed Tabitha's hand. "Come on, let's get outta here before we get in trouble."

"You mean you," Tabitha corrected.

"Exactly."

* * *

"I love myself."

I glanced at Lucas. "That's not shocking."

He smiled. "I think that I am a very good daddy."

"To Fox?"

He nodded, continuing to pet the cat in his lap. "And I'm a good baby, huh?"

"Yep."

"And-"

"Leave Mommy alone, Lucas," Fang said, walking into the room. "She's napping."

"Fang, I've slept all day," I said, sitting up. I was still in the living room, but Lucas hadn't allowed me to get any sleep. When Tyler and Tabitha got older, they made friends and replaced me. Lucas had made friends, but I was still his best friend.

"And?" He went over to the couch and sat down next to me. "Neo's in his crib, and Cody and James are playing in their room."

"Good," I said, laying my head down on his shoulder. "Have you seen Tyler?"

"He's probably in his room."

"Go check on him."

Fang groaned, standing up. "Fine."

Lucas started rolling on the floor.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Bein' a seal."

I smiled a little. "They roll?"

"Yep," he said, stopping. "Learned-ed about them in school."

"The word is learned, honey."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I have to add an –ed on the end, Mommy."

"Yeah, but…never mind."

* * *

"God, I love you," Cameron mumbled, running her hand down Damien's head.

Damien sucked in a breath. Having sex was…different. He never thought he'd like it all that much, but he slowly was learning to. "I love you too."

They laid there for a few minutes, his head in her chest, just listening to each others breathing. Cameron was the first to speak.

"Damien?"

"Hmmm?"

"Your cell rang while we were having sex."

He lazily ran a hand down her arm. "If it's important, it'll ring again. I want to stay with you for as long as I can."

"You're so sweet," she said, staring up at the ceiling. "We need to go check on Samantha though. She should be up from her nap by now."

"Shhh," Damien mumbled against her skin. "If she needed us, she's be whining. She's fine."

"What's with you recently?" Cameron asked. "You really like having sex all of a sudden."

"How could I not?" He asked. "I love you. I love the way your body feels on mine, the way you-"

"Okay, that's enough," she said, pushing him away.

"You don't want to hear me tell you how much I love you?"

Smiling, she said, "No. Thanks for doing it, though."

"I only said one thing."

"Sometimes one is enough, Damien."

He sighed. "I think that I should go check on Sam."

"What happened to waiting until she cried?"

He got out of the bed and began to pull on his jeans. "I don't know. I just want to get her. She might be scared or something."

"Don't put on your shirt," Cameron said.

"Huh?"

"I love looking at your tattoos, Damien."

"I just don't-"

"It's just you and me home," she said.

"Fine," he said, setting the shirt he was about to put on back on the ground.

"Damien?"

"What?"

"Why are you so embarrassed by your tattoos?"

He frowned. "I'm not."

"Yes, you are," she said. "No one but me ever gets to see them."

"I didn't get them so that people could stare at them," he said. "They're not there for show, Cameron. I know that they're there and that's all that matters."

"Still," she said.

He sighed. "Can I go check on Sammy now?"

"What? You don't like talking to me?"

"Cammie."

"Fine, go."

He rolled his eyes before walking out of the room. She was so dramatic. He could blame it on all that had happened in the past two years, but it was more than that. She had been that way since he met her. In a way, he'd be lost without it.

"Hi, Sam," Damien said, walking into his daughter's bedroom. "Are you awake?"

The eleven month old looked up at him, smiling. "Nah!"

"What are you doing?" He asked, coming to pick her up. "Are you okay? Was your nap good?"

She started babbling to him, and Damien pretended to listen as he headed down stairs to get something to eat.

* * *

"He lives alone?"

Tabitha nodded, sitting down on Luther's couch. Luther was in the kitchen, getting them sodas. "Yep. Right now, anyways."

"You never got to ask that woman your question."

"I didn't really have a question," she said, rolling her eyes. "I just wanted to see what they were doing."

He smiled, sitting down next to her. "Why can't we go to your house?"

"My dad hates you."

"He doesn't know me."

Tabitha shrugged. "Don't worry. He hates Luther too. And Bone."

"Who's Bone? Another friend?"

"Yep," Tabitha said. "Since you're not doing nothing for Thanksgiving, wanna come over to my house?"

"I don't think I can," he said. "And, it's anything, right?"

"What?"

"You said nothing, instead of anything."

"I did not!"

"Okay, okay," he said as Luther came back into the room.

"Here," Luther said, handing them both a coke. "You can drink that, right?"

Adeem nodded. "Yep! As long as I haven't had a soda already today."

"No. I meant…are Muslims allowed to drink coke? I don't wanna be a racist."

Opening his soda, Adeem asked, "What's that mean, anyways?"

"It means that he doesn't like you because of your race," Tabitha said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh," he said. "I don't race. I'm fast, but I'm always in trouble during recess so-"

"No," Tabitha said, making a face at Luther. "See? I told you that he's stupid."

"I am not," Adeem said, frowning at Tabitha. "You're not that fast either!"

"Yes, I am!"

Luther sighed. "Stop fight, guys. Tabitha, it's not nice to call him stupid."

"So? It's the truth," she said, getting off the couch. "Come on."

Adeem jumped down too. Luther began to follow, but Tabitha put a stop to that.

"No, Luther. I didn't tell you to come," she said, making the older man stop. Adeem stuck his tongue out at Luther, following her to a bedroom.

"What are we doing?" Adeem asked.

"I need to go through this," Tabitha said, pulling a box from the closet.

"Why?"

"Because," Tabitha began, "every time Max or Cameron or anyone has a baby, I have to give up my toys."

"So?" He asked, going to sit down on the bed.

"I'm gonna take the ones from over here that I don't play with anymore home, so that Max and Dad will think that I do play with them. They never take toys I don't play with."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," Tabitha said. "Because they hate me."

"That sucks," Adeem said.

"Yeah. You don't have any little brothers or sisters?"

He shook his head. "No. I've got two older brothers, though."

"No sisters?"

"Nope," he said, watching as her shift through the toys. "Do you really think that your parents hate you?"

She shrugged. "I shouldn't have to give up my stuff."

"Did they ask you to?"

"Not yet," she admitted. "But they're going to. I'm just getting ready."

"How many brothers do you have?"

"Well, there's Tyler, of course. Then Lucas, Cody, and one that died. His name was Kevin."

"Did you know him?"

She shook her head. "It was Max's son."

"Not your dad's?"

"I think he was. I'm not sure."

"How'd he die?"

"I don't know. They never said," she told him. "Luther's son lives with us too, and so does this guy named Gasman and his son, Neo."

"Gasman?"

She giggled along with him. "Yeah. He's like my uncle...or cousin…something."

"You have a big family."

"Yeah. Do you?"

He shrugged. "I guess so. What's the baby going to be?"

"I don't know," Tabitha said. "A boy, hopefully."

"Why?"

"They'll try to put it in my room if it's a girl."

"How do you know? They tell you that?"

She made a face at him. "No. They will though."

"You sure do decide things without being told about them."

"So? I'm always right."

"No."

"Yes, I am. Say that I'm not again and I'll hit you."

Clearly, he was slowly learning that she was right. Even about being right. It was a lot to take in.

* * *

Fang was not happy about Tabitha and Adeem hanging out at Luther's house, but he had no choice other than to let Tabitha stay with Adeem on Monday. I mean, yeah, there were other places she could go, but everyone else had at least one of our kids.

Gasman was at work, thank God he finally found a job, so he was off the list. Damien had work, and I didn't want to bog Cameron down to much, so I gave her Neo. He was a pretty quiet baby. James went on a 'bonding' thing with Luther. Bone wanted Lucas, but Lucas had a play date, so I sent him out to a friend's house. I tried to give Bone Cody instead, but he complained about not getting Lucas, so, reluctantly, I gave Cody to Mom. Tyler was at Trinity's. I wasn't going to send him there, but she called to ask about James, and, when I told her Tyler needed somewhere to go, she said they'd watch him. I doubt Dan is very excited.

I'm not still mad at Mom, exactly. I'm just not happy with her either. I mean, I know that it's been almost a year, but some things just don't fade. Like my problem with Ella. No way am I spending Thanksgiving with her, by the way. No effing way.

Fang was tense. We had just gotten back from the doctor. We're having a boy. Great. Just great. I mean, I love the baby. It's just…Fang really wanted a girl.

"Are you okay?"

Giving me a smile, he said, "Of course. You can never have too many boys, you know. And they're so much easier to name."

I laid my head against the car window. "I still like Jason."

"Jason…hmmm…I don't know."

I closed my eyes. "Are we picking up the kids?"

"Tabitha's staying till five, Lucas till two, Cody is spending the night with your Mom, Luther's going to drop James off at your Mom's, and I have no idea about Tyler."

"Hope he's having fun."

* * *

"How'd you get so fat?"

"Tyler!"

He looked at Trinity. "What? He is. Aren't you, Dan?"

"Shush. I'm watching TV."

Dan wasn't really fat. He was kind of big though. The boy just liked annoying him. Tyler jumped onto the couch. "When Damien was a baby, did he have his tattoos?"

"No," Trinity sighed. She was trying to clean up the living room.

"Do you got any?" Tyler asked Dan.

The man muted the TV. "Trevor-"

"Tyler."

"Tyler, go grab my bible off the coffee table," Dan said.

Tyler jumped down. He had never seen so many bibles in his life. He wasn't even sure if Max and Dad owned one. "Which bible?"

"The blue one," Dan said. Trinity eyed him suspiciously.

"Dan, what are you-"

"Hush."

"Dan."

He sighed. "Please, Trinity. I'm teaching the boy about God."

"Here," Tyler said, handing the bible to the man.

Dan cleared his throat, flipping through his bible. Before he even landed on the page, he began to recite Leviticus 19:28. "_Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD_."

"What does that mean?" Tyler asked.

"That tattooing yourself will get you sent to hell."

Tyler cocked his head to the side. "Are you Catholic?"

"No," Dan said, his eyes becoming dark.

"Your Christian?"

"Baptist."

Tyler made a face. "I don't like baths much."

Dan didn't find him funny. "You think your Catholic, boy?"

"I don't know. My friend is."

"I didn't ask what your friend was. So called 'friends' are exactly what'll get you damned."

Tyler looked at Dan in shock. "You cussed."

"I did not. Damnation is-"

"Dan, stop it," Trinity said.

"What, Trinity? Someone has to teach the boy about God, do they not?"

"Dan, just don't scare him. And only if Tyler wants to."

"I want to," Tyler said. Dan was funny.

"Alright," Dan said, looking back down at his bible. "Trinity, my glasses."

"Can I get a please?"

He cleared his throat. "Now…please."

"Here," she said, going to get them off the table.

"And, I need you to get Tyler a bible." Dan knew which bible he was holding with out even checking. "I've got the King James Version, so I think the New King James Version will follow it closely."

"Here, Tyler," Trinity handed him a bible, still wary about the whole situation.

"You know, Tyler, I think that you're a smart boy," Dan said, going to the last book of the bible. "I think that we should start with Revelations. You know, the end time is upon us."

"Dan, no," Trinity said, finally putting her foot down. "You cannot expect him to understand Revelations. I am not letting you-"

"Trinity, leave," Dan said, still not looking at her.

"No."

"What is wrong with you?" Dan turned his eyes onto his wife. "I am trying to teach him about God, Trinity. You are not going to stop me from doing that."

She let her breath out slowly. "Dan, if you make him upset, his parents won't let him come over here anymore. You've already scared away Samantha and James."

"I have not. I was being nice to that girl the last time she was here."

"Get real, Dan. You're so caught up in God-"

"He is my life, Trinity. He should be yours too," Dan told her, looking back down at his bible. "It is not my fault that you have gotten dragged into such worldly issues. I should hope that you will get back into your bible-"

"Dan, stop it."

"What?"

She walked off.

"Are we in trouble?" Tyler asked.

"No," Dan said. "Now go to Revelations."

"Where is that?"

Dan sighed. "It's the last book in the bible."

"Oh," Tyler said, turning the pages. "Is this the one with the apple?"

"No. It was not an apple, either, Tyler. It was a fruit. It is not specified which one."

"Oh," he said, still going through the bible. "Is it the one where the baby is born?"

"That baby is Jesus. No."

"Where he got hung on the cross?"

"No, Tyler."

"Hmmm…I don't know anymore stories," Tyler said, finally making it to the New Testament. "Oh, wait, I know the one about Pain and Sable."

"Cain and Able. And no, this is not about them."

"Did you make Damien read the bible?"

"Of course," Dan said. "By the time he was your age, he was quoting the bible. I would read Numbers to him for a bedtime story. He really had a chance to be a good man."

"He's not a good man?" Tyler asked.

"Have you found it yet? And, no, he's not. A good Christian man, that is. All those hideous _things _on his body… I can only hope that he prays for his salvation."

"He ain't going to Heaven ?"

"I'm not God, Tyler. I cannot say."

"Found it," Tyler said suddenly. "Rev-a-lations."

"Yes," Dan said, nodding his head a little. "Now let's begin. I'll start."

"Okay."

Dan cleared his throat. "_The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel_-"

"That's not what mine says," Tyler said, frowning.

"I know. Your bible is different than mine."

"Why?"

Dan felt his mind tire, but it didn't matter. He felt good, explaining things like this to people. The only person he is only ever with anymore is his wife, and she refused to listen to him anymore.

"You see, Tyler, the books of the bible were not written in English."

"In Spanish then?"

"No," Dan said, his face not losing it's normal look of anger, though he was actually joyful on the inside. "The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, the New Testament in Greek. Now, when it was translated, it became the King James Version."

"Why are there different ones now?"

"Because people wanted to dumb down the bible, if you will."

"I will," Tyler said, smiling.

"They decided to change words, make them easier to understand. That took away from the whole meaning of certain passages. I only read the King James Version, really."

"Then why do you have the other ones?"

"For references, really."

Tyler considered this. "So, are you like Dad?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you hate gay people?"

Dan smiled a little. This could turn into a lot of fun. "Let's save Revelations for later, Tyler. Gays will take up our whole time."

* * *

"Fang, I just can't believe that he told Tyler about-"

"Max, nothing he said was wrong. In fact, Tyler's now going to church with Dan every Sunday."

"Fang, a minute ago, he was quoting something to me that I didn't even know what it meant!"

Fang sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Max, I just want Tyler to learn something. Dan is a good guy."

"Look what he did to Damien, Fang!"

"All I'm saying is-"

"I do not want him-"

"Max, Ty needs to learn about this stuff. In fact, I think that we should send Tabitha too."

I rolled my eyes, sitting down on the bed. My head hurt. "She's Muslim, Fang."

He glared at me. "She is not! She's just confused."

Laying down, I said, "If you want Tyler to learn about Christ, fine. I don't have a problem with that. I just don't want him learning for Dan."

"Why not?"

"Fang, look at Damien-"

"You keep saying that, but I'm not getting what you mean."

"What I mean is, Damien's screwed up. His father made him that way," I said. "Tyler is already a little crazy. I don't want anything else making him that way."

"Max, I'm letting Dan take him to church. First off, free babysitting."

"Fang."

He smiled, coming over to me and giving me a kiss on the head. "How's Jason?"

"Who?"

"The baby. That's his name, huh?"

"No," I said, closing my eyes. "You said that you didn't like it."

"I do, though."

I shook my head. "What if we name him Andrew."

"I like Jason."

I groaned. "Fine. Jason Nicholas Shadows."

"Nicholas?" Fang got into bed with me.

"Mmmhmm."

Fang kissed my cheek. "Why?"

"You know why."

"No, I don't."

I turned a little. "Shut up, Fang."

Laughing, he wrapped an arm around me. "I love you, Max. And you to, Jason Nicholas."

I suddenly realized something and began to laugh. Fang was confused. "What?"

"Nick is short for Nicholas."

"So what?"

"Nick rhymes with dick and I was thinking the other day-"

"Max, please. You are in the presence of our son."

I rolled my eyes. "No Nicholas. Forget it."

Fang sighed. "Then what, Max?"

"Jason Fang Shadows."

He frowned. "Won't it make the other boys jealous?"

I closed my eyes. "That's what I used to call Kevin. Kevin Fang."

Fang pulled me to him. "I don't think that we should give his name to Jason. That's Kevin's."

"I know," I said softly. "I know."

* * *

"Listen to me, Lucas," Tyler said, tying his shoe. It was the next day and he was getting ready to go with Dan to the Christian Book Store. Dan was going to buy him a bible! He'd never had his own bible before. "The end is very near."

Lucas wasn't interested. "If I gotta listen too your story, you gotta listen to mine."

"What's your story?"

"At school on Friday, I got dared to eat Heath's scab-"

"Lucas, stop!" Tyler glared at him as he went to put on his shirt. "My story was about saving your life. Yours just showed how nasty you are."

Lucas stuck his tongue out at Tyler. "You're mean."

"I am not," Tyler said, putting on his jacket. It was almost time to go. "Come on, I need to be downstairs."

"Why?"

"So when Dan honks, I can hear him," Tyler said, walking out of the room.

"How come you like God so much?"

"Because, Lucas, I'm want to go to Heaven. And I am going," Tyler said, walking down the stairs. "You, on the other hand, aren't going to Heaven."

Lucas shrugged. Tyler had told him all about the bible and God last night. Going to Heaven didn't sound so great. Tyler said that you just worshiped God the whole time. Lucas would rather sniff Tanks butt, which, by the way, he had done before and it was not that great.

"That's cool," Lucas said. "I'd rather stay here with Mommy and Dad."

Tyler shook his head. Lucas was too young and dumb to get it. "Goodbye, Dad."

Fang glanced at his two sons. "You're going too, Lucas?"

"No," Lucas said, walking over to the couch, getting up there with his father. "Dan is mean. Last time I saw him, he yelled at me."

"So?" Tyler was on the defensive about his new mentor. "I would yell at you two."

"Where's Mommy?" Lucas asked, frowning. "She said that you need to stop making fun of me."

"You're such a baby," Tyler said. Then he heard a honk. "Bye!"

He ran out the door and climbed into Dan's car. As he was buckling up his seatbelt, Dan turned down the radio.

"You ready, boy?"

Tyler smiled. He liked when Dan called him boy. "Yep!"

Dan nodded, pulling out of the driveway. "You eat before you left?"

"No."

Grumbling under his breath, Dan said, "I guess I'll have to feed you."

"Okay."

He glanced at him. "Where's that girl that follows you around?"

"My sister?"

"No. The other one. The Mexican one."

"Alex is visiting her family. It's okay, though. She'll be back for Thanksgiving."

Dan grunted. "You spend your Holidays with her?"

"Yep," Tyler said, looking around the truck. Then he giggled.

"What?"

"You drive a truck and so does Damien."

Dan hadn't ever connected the two. "So?"

"Is it because he's your son? Maybe he wants to be like you."

"Then he's doing a horrible job."

* * *

"My father has been bothering Tyler."

Cameron opened her eyes a little. It was around noon and, as he was off, they were dozing, Samantha laying between them along with Peter. Cameron ran a hand down the black cat's back, her pale white hand standing out against his dark colored fur. Cameron stared at her hand, frowning. She really did need to get out of the house more…

"Cam? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, Damien," she said. "Am I pale?'

"How come we always have to talk about you?"

She sighed. "Alright, never mind."

Damien smiled a little when Samantha patted his arm. "I just don't get why he has to bother Tyler."

"Maybe Tyler likes being around him."

Damien snorted. "Not even my mother likes being around him anymore, Cameron."

She paused, staring at him. "Damien…are your parents having pr-"

"No," he said, a little too quickly. "And even if they were, it wouldn't mean anything."

"Why not?"

"They're married. They're stuck together."

Eyebrows wrinkling, Cameron asked, "Damien, sweetie, you do understand what a divorce is, right?"

"Don't act like I'm stupid, Cameron," he warned. "My father would never get a divorce. That's a sin. That'll get you sent straight to hell."

"Excuse me, Damien, but my father-"

"Cameron, I wasn't trying to say anything, really, but I'm not going to play around with you. If you don't follow behind God, if you don't accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you're dead on the water, mind my pun."

For a few minutes, it was silent, save Samantha and her random noises. The baby was playing with her daddy's hand, giggling at the feeling of his wedding ring. Then Cameron spoke again.

"You're just like your father, you know."

That was the last thing he ever wanted, or expected, to hear. "What?"

Cameron nodded a little. "Yeah. You're both so into this whole bible crap-"

"Do not disrespect-"

"-and," she went on, ignoring him, "you both are so hardheaded. Granted, your father has control issues where as you let me do everything, you both have a hard time seeing things from other people's viewpoints."

"Wow, two things. Amazing."

"Don't mock me, Damien."

"Then don't make crap up."

She rolled her eyes. "You're so unmanageable."

"I'm human, Cameron, not a cat. You can't just put me on a schedule."

"Oh, I know," she said. "The only thing I can't get you to do."

Damien leaned down and kissed their daughter. "Cameron, there's a big flaw with your theory."

She was already bored with the whole thing and was trying to decide what she was hungry for. "What's that?"

"I love my family. I love you, Sam, my mother, my sister, my nephew, everyone. My father doesn't."

"Damien-"

"He just doesn't. He lives, breaths, and sleeps the bible," Damien said. "I try my hardest to live the Christian way, my father is the Christian way. He thinks that he's better than everyone."

"Damien, don't get all emotional on me."

He looked up at her with a hard face. "Trust me, I'm not."

* * *

At around four AM, Dan pulled up in the driveway. He was in his wife's car, though. No doubt they had fought about that. Honestly, Damien was just glad that he didn't have to be around when they were fighting.

"Hi, Mom," Damien said, putting Samantha in her car seat. You'd think that the baby would be upset about being up early, but she wasn't. It probably meant that she was going to be cranky later on.

"Hey, baby," Trinity said, not sounding at all tired. She always got up early. Maybe not this early, but only an hour off. "Hi, Cameron."

"Hey," Cameron said, pushing Damien into the car after he had put the bag in the trunk. Damien sat in the middle seat, so that he could get to Sam and Cameron.

"Sam says hi," Damien said, buckling his seatbelt. "Huh, Sam?"

Dan rolled his eyes. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah," Damien said, frowning. Samantha squealed, happy. She liked the car.

Cameron laid her head on Damien's shoulder. The thought of driving in the car with not only Damien and Samantha, but also Damien's parents was bogging her down.

They weren't even on the highway yet when Samantha made a loud noise. Then it was just quiet.

"Did the baby fall asleep?" Trinity asked.

"Yeah," Damien said, glancing at her.

"Thank God," Cameron mumbled.

"Don't use his name in vain if you're in my car."

Cameron turned her eyes to the back of Dan's chair. "Yeah? That can get taken care of real fast."

"Cameron, stop," Damien hissed. He didn't want his father to kick them out of the car. He wasn't sure if his mom would allow it or not, but he was fearful.

"Whatever," she said, closing her eyes.

Dan was livid. "You will not disrespect me in my-"

"Dan, stop it," Trinity said, rolling her eyes. "We haven't even gotten out of town yet. Stop trying to argue with everyone."

"She is not going to-"

"Stop talking to me like I'm child," Cameron said. "I'm not your daughter, so just leave me alone, alright? If you shut up, then I will."

Dan felt like hitting her. He gripped the steering wheel tightly. This was going to be a long drive.

* * *

Wednesday, Nudge and Drake came to town. Iggy had come the night before and was taking up our couch. With all the kids that have now taken up residence at our house, there was no room for them. So, Drake, Nudge, and Amber stayed with Mom. That only meant that I had to go over to her house for dinner.

Of course, dinner time was a long time from now, so I just got a bunch of time to dread it. Tyler, however, didn't.

"I missed you," Tyler said, hugging Alex. She giggled.

"I bought you stuff."

He smiled at her. "Of course you did."

Rolling my eyes, I looked at Alex's mother. "It's okay if he stays here? I mean, you just got home."

"No, no," she said, smiling sincerely at me. "He is…fine?"

I nodded at her. Her husband's English was flawless for the most part, but, as she seemed to refuse to learn the language. I'm sure Luther would have a problem with it, but I don't.

I gave Tyler a hug before leaving. Now I had to go back home. Fang had been in a bad mood all day and I was not exactly happy about being around him.

"Hi," Cody said as I walked into the house.

"Hi," I said, smiling at him. "Where's James?"

"Hidin'," Cody said as I picked him up.

"Are you guys playing?"

He nodded. "Gotta find him."

"Then why aren't you?"

"Gets bored," Cody said, laying his head down on my shoulder. "See Ganny?"

"Not yet," I said, shifting him to my hip. "Where'd Daddy?"

"Up dere," Cody said, pointing to the staircase.

"He just left you guys down here?"

Cody shook his head. "Gas."

"Hmmm?"

"Gas hidin' too! Him watch."

"Oh, he is?" I looked around. "Well, he better get out here right now. Gasman, I mean it."

He sighed, coming out of the hall closet with James. "I was right there the whole time, Max. I wasn't going to let them get hurt."

I sat Cody down. "James, do I get a hug? You were hiding from me and now I'm sad."

"No!" He ran to me, holding up his arms. "No sad, Max. Love!"

I picked him up and gave him a kiss. "I love you too, James."

He giggled, cuddling against me. Cody frowned, seeing this. He held up his hands. "Me, Mommy."

I shifted James to one arm so that I could pick up Cody too. "What? Did you get jealous, Cody?"

He stuck his tongue out at James. "My mommy."

Glaring, James said, "No!"

"Stop it," I told them, my stomach starting to hurt. 'You shouldn't-"

"What are you doing?" Fang came down the stairs. "You do not need to be holding them, Max."

"Fang-"

"I said no," Fang grumbled, coming over to us. He took Cody from me and sat him down. Then he grabbed James and sat him on his shoulders. James giggled, patting Fang's head. Fang had formed some sort of bond with James. I don't know why. I think it's because our oldest three all have lives, and, when it comes down to James and Cody, James is more of Fang's style. That's not to say that Fang doesn't love Cody. He does, I know he does. It's just…Cody has something that he does that Fang can't stand.

"Time play house," Cody said, giggling. "Mommy?"

"What?"

"Wanna play?"

This is what I was talking about. Lucas loved stuffed animals, but Cody had taken a liking to Tabitha's old baby dolls.

"Sure," I said.

Fang frowned. "Come one, Code, you don't wanna play that. Let's play something else."

"Yeah," James said. "Wead comets?"

"You mean read comics? Sure," Fang said. "Come on, Cody. You want to with us? I'll ready you Iron Man."

"No," Cody said, walking out of the room. He came back with a play stroller and two of his favorite baby dolls in it. "Look, Daddy. Babies."

James made a noise. "No pay babies. Wead comets."

"Come on, Cody," Fang pleaded. "Dolls are for girls."

"No!" Cody looked at me and Gasman. "Pay wid me?"

"Yes," I said, smiling. "Of course."

"I have to go check on Neo," Gazzy told him. "Maybe later, okay?"

Cody just smiled, getting his dolls out of the stroller. Fang made a noise of displeasure before going back up the stairs with James. Fang told me that I'm turning Cody gay, but I don't think so. And even if I was, so what? Besides, Carlos says that gays are 'born that way'. Whatever, Lady Gaga. I mean, I think you should be as gay as you want, but don't say you were born that way. God.

Fang though, as you should know by now, did not follow that same ideal. He hates gays, I guess. Whatever. I'm so tired of him right now that it's unreal. Besides, he wanted a daughter, right? Well, now he has Cody.

"I'mma be the daddy," Cody said, laying his dolls down. "You be the mommy, Mommy."

He giggled at his joke. His dolls names were Car and Remy. They were boys. I sat down and played with him for awhile. Then Tabitha came down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" She asked, frowning. "Dad said that he doesn't like for Cody to play with dolls."

"Shush, Tabitha."

"It's okay though, I guess," she said, shaking her head. "At least he doesn't talk to himself like some people we know."

Even when Tyler's not home, she still has to take jabs at him. God.

* * *

"Hi!" James was excited as we came into Mom's house.

Amber cuddled into Drakes shoulder, not liking his voice. "No!"

Cody walked in, carrying Car. "Ganny!"

Giggling, he ran over to Dr. Martinez. "B'ing Car!"

James went over to the couch and climbed into Ella's lap. I wonder when she got here… "Hi."

She smiled at him. "Hi, James. Do you remember me?"

He shook his head. "In me seat! Up!"

"What if you just sit in my lap instead?"

"Going younger and younger, are you?" I sneered.

"Max, stop it," my mother said, frowning at me. "Where's Tyler?"

"He went to see his girlfriend," Gazzy said, holding Neo to him. Nudge went over to him a took the baby. I won't bore you with the meet and greet of Neo and everyone. Honestly, I was only half paying attention anyways.

At the moment, I was sitting down because Fang made me. He said that I was too pregnant to be standing for a long time. God. He thought that I was too pregnant for everything. It wasn't fair.

Drake sat Amber down. "Play with the other kids, okay?"

"No," she said, whining. He just patted her hair before going into the kitchen, where almost everyone else was. It was just me, Fang, Iggy, and the kids in the living room now.

"Hi," James said, smiling at her. "Me James."

She looked around. "No."

Cody looked over from Car. "Pay house? Amber be Mommy, I be Daddy, James be dog."

"No!" James crossed his arms. "Me be…Iggy."

"What?" Iggy sat up.

James giggled. "Me Iggy. Cody…Fang. Amber Max."

Cody frowned. "No."

Amber stood up and walked away from them, going over to Lucas. He was coloring. "Me?"

Lucas looked up before flipping the page in his coloring book. He ripped out a page and gave it to her. Tabitha helped her get the crayon in her hand. She was just really scribbling.

"No mommy?" Cody frowned. "Amber be mommy!"

"No! No be mommy," she said, still coloring. Cody crawled over to her.

"Peas?" He patted her head. "Be mommy."

"No."

"Be daddy?"

"No."

"Be baby?"

"No."

Cody whined. "Pay wid me!"

"No."

"Eye?"

"No 'ike you."

Cody was in shock. He had never had someone tell him that, besides maybe Tyler when he was mad. "Eye?"

"'cause," she said, still scribbling.

"Yes 'ike me!"

"No."

Cody growled before walking away. The two and a half year old was not happy. It was kind of cute, in a way.

"Okay," James said, not too affected. "No pay house, den."

Cody frowned, but listened to his friend. They didn't play house.

* * *

Cameron was not impressed with Damien's family. They were rude, rambunctious, and just plain loud. She was slowly starting to realize that she hadn't missed anything by not having great family ties.

"I like your hair."

She turned her head a little and saw a little girl standing there. Cameron gave her a smile. She was sitting on the back porch, waiting for this whole thing to be over. And this was only Wednesday.

"Thank you," Cameron said. "Like yours too. I love braids."

"I don't," the girl said. "They take _forever_."

Cameron laughed a little. "Why aren't you playing with the other kids? Aren't they all playing hide and seek?"

That's what she assumed they were doing, at least. It seemed like they were using the porch for base.

"I don't wanna play with them," the little girl said. "Are you Damien's wife?"

"Yes."

She giggled. "He's my cousin."

"Is he?"

"Yeah, but I don't see him that much," she said. "He's nice though. He sends me money for my birthday and for Christmas."

"That is nice of him," Cameron said, frowning a little. Is that where most of his money went? God. "What's your name?"

"Trina," she said, looking hard at Cameron. "How come you don't like my brother?"

"Sweetie, I don't know my brother."

"Then how come my mom said not to talk about Tristan?"

Cameron did a double take. "What?"

"My brother, Tristan," she said. "It's okay, though, I don't like him none either."

Cameron got up. "I have to go. Have fun."

"Bye."

Cameron walked back into the house, looking for Damien. He was in the kitchen, talking to some of his aunts.

"Hey, Cam- Ow!"

She had punched him in the arm. "I need to talk to you. Now."

"Fine, fine. You could have just said that," he said as she dragged him away, into the hallway, where it was silent.

"What?" Damien asked, rubbing his arm.

"What did you tell them?"

"Tell who?"

"Your family."

"About what, Cameron?"

"About...him."

"Huh?"

"One of your little cousin's just came up to me and asked why I didn't like her brother. I was told her I didn't know what she was talking about and she said that I didn't like her brother because of his name."

Damien paled a little. "Cameron, I just thought that you wouldn't want to hear that name, so I asked that they called him by his nickname. T-Rex. I didn't figure it'd be that big of a deal."

"You do not go around telling people about my life, got it?" She looked like she was going hit him again, so Damien took a step back. "What goes on with me, or about me, is my business. If you had asked, I would have told you that it didn't matter. And it doesn't. It's just a damn name, Damien. Alright?"

"Okay," he said. "But, Cameron, you hurt my arm."

"God, you're such a baby," she mumbled before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Are we good?" He asked.

"No, but we're doing better."

He smiled at her. "Samantha really likes playing with the other kids."

Cameron rolled her eyes. The only other kids under two that were there were napping. They were more sleepy babies while Samantha was very active. What Cameron wouldn't give to take one of the other ones home…

* * *

"Tyler?"

"What?"

"How come your bible's different than mine?"

"I don't know," Tyler said. They were in her room, leaning their backs against her bed as they looked over his brand new bible. "We believe in the same god, huh?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know. I thought so."

"I hope so," Tyler said. "Dan said people that don't believe like me and him'll go to Hell. I don't want you to go to Hell."

"I'm not going to Hell," Alex said. "I don't think that God'll sent us there. It wouldn't make sense. What did we do wrong? Not read the same bible?"

Tyler shrugged. "Dan said that you-"

"You act like Dan _is_ God."

Tyler frowned. "He's just my new friend."

"You can't be friends with adults, Tyler. That's just weird."

"Shush, Alex," he said, staring down at his bible. It was a kids bible so it had little pictures under the text every few pages, depicting whatever the story was about. "Let's talk about something else."

"How about if we're going to stay up all night or wake up early tomorrow to watch the parade on TV."

"Let's stay up late," Tyler said. "I don't like parades unless I'm there to get candy."

Alex giggled. "_Te amos_, Tyler."

He frowned. He still like _te quiero_ better. "_Te amos_."


	24. Chapter 24

Living

Chapter 24

Neo patted my head. "Ah!"

"Shhh," I said, shifting him in my arms. I was trying to get all the boys ready and they were making it hard. "Cody, just put on the shirt, please."

"No mine!"

"I know that it's James's, but-"

"No!"

"Cody!" Fang came into the room. "What are you guys doing? Huh? We need to leave."

Cody started crying. I think that he was sleepy and cranky. Great. Cody stomped his feet.

"No!"

"Shhh," Fang soothed, picking him up. "What if we wear a different shirt, huh?"

"Fang, remember how spoiled Lucas is?"

"Max-"

"You're just making another one of him."

James was fine with what he was wearing. He was bouncing up and down, excited by the thought of going to Dr. Martinez's house. "Daddy?"

"I'll take you to see him later today, okay?" Fang went and got Cody a different, dirty shirt. "Alright, is Neo ready?"

"Yes," I sighed, not happy with Fang at the moment.

"Alright," Fang said, walking out of the room, taking Cody with him. "I'm taking Cody, Tabs, and Gasman with me. You get Neo, James, Iggy, and Lucas."

"Fine," I said, walking out of the room. James jumped off the bed and followed me. "You ready, James? Huh?"

"Yep!" He was still jumping down the hall as he followed behind me.

* * *

Cameron heard a door slam, waking her up from her sleep. "What?"

Dan turned his head in surprise. "What are you doing back there?"

She shifted on the back seat. "Sleeping."

"Why?"

"Most people sleep because they're tired, Dan."

He shook his head. If she was his daughter… "In the back of the car?"

"I'm hiding from Damien."

"In the car?"

"Okay, so it was a stupid idea, but it's been working!"

Dan sighed. "Well, I'm leaving, so go find another hiding spot."

Cameron laid back down. "No. You find another car."

"Just get out."

"No, you."

He took a deep breath. "I can't get another car. If I ask someone for a car, they'll know that I'm leaving. I don't want anyone to know."

"What are you going to do? Pick up a hooker?"

"Stop talking to me like I'm someone that you're friends with. I do not find your jokes the least bit amusing."

She closed her eyes again. "Where are you going?"

"Why does it matter?"

Cameron sat up. "Because I'm going to."

* * *

"Are you having fun?"

"No," Bone said. "Are you?"

"I'm at my mother's house. What do you think?"

Bone sighed. "I wish I was with you."

"I know," I said. "Lucas says hi, by the way."

He laughed a little. "Tell him that I say hi back."

"He's worried that you won't be here for his fourth birthday party."

"That's a little under a month away."

"I know, but he's three."

"Can I talk to him?"

I got up and found Lucas. "Bone wants to talk to you."

He excitedly took the phone from me. I smiled at him before going to find Cody. Fang and Iggy had him, Amber, James, and Neo out back.

"Hi!" James yelled at me when I walked out there. He and Cody were playing with toy trucks.

"Hi," I said, smiling. Iggy got up and went back inside, so I took his place on the porch steps next to Fang. "Hey, Fang."

He wrapped an arm around me. "Hey, baby."

I leaned against him. "Jason's good today."

Fang smiled a little. "So your stomach's not unmanageable?"

"Nope," I said. "I feel fine, for once."

"Good," he said, running a hand up and down my arm. "Is it almost time to eat?"

I smiled a little. "You starved, baby?"

"Yes," Fang said. "Horribly so."

I sighed, watching the kids play. Neo was just sitting on a blanket, chewing on toys. Amber was kind of play with Cody and James, but was far enough away that it could be argued that she wasn't.

"You know," I began. "Lucas's birthday and Christmas are coming up. We need to start on presents and stuff."

"Yeah," Fang said. "And we need to finish all the details of the room situation before Jason gets here."

It felt good, knowing that his name was Jason. "I think that I want him and Neo to share a room. Lucas and Tyler can, and so can Cody and James. Then Tabitha has her own and so does Gasman."

"Did he ever send in those papers for college?"

"No," I sighed. "He said that he doesn't think that college is right for him."

Fang shook his head. "Are we failures or what?"

"Fang, Gasman and Angel were just dry runs. I think we have a strong chance at Tabitha going to college."

He laughed a little. "Ty?"

"No, probably not," I said. "I don't want him ever leaving that house, really. I'm fine with him staying with us forever."

Fang groaned. "That would be torture."

"No," I said. "It would be great."

"You have a funny idea of perfection, Max."

"You're telling me."

* * *

When Dan pulled up to the bar, Cameron was in shock. He told her that she could just wait in the car. So she did, for a few minutes anyways. Then curiosity got the better of her and she went in.

"Thought you didn't drink?" Dan asked as Cameron sat down next to him at the bar

Cameron shrugged. "I'm not. I just don't like waiting in the car."

"Wasn't that what you were doing when we were at the house?"

"I was hiding," she corrected. "Besides, I'm not drinking. Just watching you get drunk."

"It takes a lot more than this to get me drunk," he said.

They both said nothing for awhile. They were the only ones there, save the bartender.

"Why are you such an ass to Damien?"

Dan glanced at her, deciding to ignore her language issue. "I'm not."

"Yes, you are. All he wants is to please you, and you treat him like a dog," Cameron said. "He's a really good guy."

Dan snorted. "You don't know anything about me and my son."

"He thinks that you don't love him."

Shaking his head, he said, "Look, I know that you think this is your business, but it's not."

"Damien is my husband, whether you like it or not, so yes, it is my business," Cameron told him. "I care about Damien and I at least deserve to know what he's done that's so wrong. So what is he's not a jock or a meathead? He love me, our daughter, and still follows God's law. That's more than Tammie can ever say."

Dan shook his head, finishing his beer. He asked for another one. After he had it, he said, "Look, Cameron, I don't like you. I don't like my son being with you, taking care of your child, or doing anything with you. But now he's married to you and I'm stuck with you as my daughter-in-law, so I'm going to be honest with you. Damien is a screw up. Plan and simple. So is Tammie. I didn't expect much else out of Tammie, but I did out of Damien. He's not good."

Cameron stood up. "You're wrong. You're so wrong."

"Am I? I mean, think about it. Nothing he's ever done screams success. He's a tattoo artist, who is married to a woman and raising a kid that's not his own."

"At least he never had a child out of wedlock with a crack head."

Dan turned his eyes on her slowly. "What did you just say?"

"I don't repeat myself for shit," she said before walking out of the bar.

* * *

For the first time in forever, Thanksgiving was uneventful. After dinner, everyone else stayed at Mom's, but I loaded James into the car and took him up to Anime Any Day.

"Hi, Daddy!" James yelled, running into the store. "Daddy?"

Luther just had to be making out with a woman. Anything else would have made him look like a good father, after all.

"Hey, James," Luther said, pulling away from the woman. She seemed embarrassed. "What are you doing here?"

"See Daddy," James declared, only slightly phased by the lip lock he had walked in upon. James ran over to his father. "Up?"

"I should probably go," the woman told Luther.

"Wait-"

"Bye," she said, eyeing me before leaving.

James kissed his father's cheek when he picked him up. Luther sighed, going to sit behind the counter. "How have you been, James?"

James cuddled against him. "Seepy."

"You're been sleepy?" Luther smiled. "Hey, you know what?"

James shook his head, looking up at his father.

"I missed you, that's what," Luther said, rubbing his son's back. "Maybe…maybe you'd wanna come stay with me tonight, huh?"

"Max? Cody? Fang?"

"No, I just meant…I thought that you'd want to come home."

"Home!" He nodded excitedly. "Fox home. 'nickers home. Tabby home."

"I meant your real home, buddy."

"Home. Max home," he said, smiling over at me. "Home, Max?"

"Soon, baby," I said, looking at Luther.

"Right," Luther said. "Yeah. I should have figured that you thought you live there. And you do, I guess."

"Daddy come?"

Luther shook his head, getting up. He gave James to me. "I'll see you later, James."

James wrapped his arms around my neck. "Bye-bye, Daddy."

"Yeah, bye."

I was driving back to Mom's when James decided to start talking. "Max?"

"What, baby?"

"Mommy?"

I sighed. "She's not…here, baby."

He yawned. "Go see Cody?"

"We're going to go see him, yes."

"Me seepy, Max."

"Then sleep, baby. I don't mind."

* * *

"Hello?"

"Damien? Can you come pick me up?"

He frowned. "Cammie, where are you?"

"I went somewhere with your father. Look, I'm at a gas station that's about two miles away from the house. Come pick me up, please."

"Sure. I'll just borrow a car, I guess."

"Please."

About ten minutes later, Damien was there to get her.

"Thanks," she said, getting into the passenger side.

"What were you and my dad doing?" He asked. "I haven't seen you all day."

"It's not important," Cameron said, sighing.

"Come on, Cameron. Did he say something to you? If he did-"

"Nothing, Damien, really."

He sighed. "I just don't want him bothering you."

"He wasn't."

Shaking his head, Damien said, "This was a bad idea. I'm sorry. Next year, if we don't go to see your brother, we'll just stay home. Promise."

"It's fine, Damien. Honest."

Damien sighed. "You know, my birthday is today."

"Damien!"

"What?"

"You never remind me when it's your birthday. God, I would have gotten you a gift, if you had reminded me."

"I didn't want one,' he said, driving back to his Aunt Kikie's house. "I love you, Cameron."

"I love you too."

* * *

**December**

Tyler was not happy about losing his own room. "But it's not fair!"

"I know, I know," I said as Fang moved Lucas's bed into the room. "But it's what we're going to have to do for now. As soon as Gasman moves out, you can get your own room."

"But-"

"You guys have been sharing a room for awhile. Now he has his own bed. It's not that big of deal," Fang said. "Besides, you're brothers. Brothers should share a room."

"He's not my full brother."

Fang looked a the ceiling. "You know, Tyler, you make it really hard to love you sometimes."

"Fang!" I hit him in the arm. "Take that back, right now."

He shook his head, walking out of the room. Alex walked in, carrying a box of Lucas's toys.

"Thank you," Lucas said, smiling as he climbed onto his bed.

"You guys play nice," I told the three of them before walking out of the room. "Fang, where are you?"

"In here," he said from the room across from Tyler and Lucas's. We were changing that form Gasman's room to Cody and James's. Damien and Bone were painting it for us. Even when Gasman had been in there, we kept it pink. Now that it was the two boys' room, we were changing it.

"What color are you painting it?" I asked them.

"White. It might take a few coats though," Damien said. "Then we're going to draw on it."

"I didn't approve that."

"Lucas and Tyler have Spiderman on their wall," Bone said. "Only fair."

"Like you believe in fair," I said. "You won't even baby sit Cody sometimes because he's not Lucas."

Ignoring this, Bone opened a paint can. "Fumes."

"Huh?"

"Pregnant," Bone told me. "Leave."

"Bone, it's not like I'm huffing the paint," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Do you guys want me to help?" Fang asked. "Or can I leave?"

"Leave," Bone said. "Take Max."

I just rolled my eyes, walking out of the room. Cameron was downstairs, watching Cody and James. Samantha was crawling around, playing with toys.

"Hey," I said, going to sit down next to her. Fang went into the kitchen.

"Hey," Cam said back, not looking away from the TV. "Tabitha is outback, playing with the dog."

"Okay," I said, looking at the TV. "What are we watching?"

"Cops."

"Mama!" Samantha came up to us and patted Cameron's leg. "Ah!"

"Shush," Cameron said, not looking at her. I picked up the baby instead.

"Hi, Samantha."

She giggled, smiling at me. Then Fang walked into the room and she started crying. She really doesn't like Fang. Still.

"I don't get it," Fang said, going to sit down in the chair. "What did I ever do to her?"

"She's just a little brat," Cameron said, finally taking a glance at her daughter.

Samantha was done crying just as quickly as she began. She was now playing with the bracelet I wore that Tabitha made me my first Christmas with her. The strings were frayed now, but I still wore it nonetheless, right along with that necklace that Tyler had given me.

"What are you guys doing for Christmas?" I asked Cameron. "Are you going to spend it with his family again?"

"God no," Cameron said, snorting. "There's a reason that I was born upper class."

I frowned. "And what was that?"

"So I don't have to deal with ignorance," she said. "God. I can stand Damien. I can't stand the rest of them."

"That's kind of rude," I said.

Cameron shook her head. "Not really. I'm just telling the truth."

"Well-"

"If you guys are going to make me listen to you talk, could I at least control the TV?" Fang asked.

Cameron rolled her eyes before tossing him the remote. "How long do you think this will take Damien and Bone?"

"They said that they're painting and then they're going to draw over it. Whatever that means."

"Great," Cameron said with a groan.

"I have to go to work soon," Fang told me.

"Have fun," I said, running a hand over my stomach. Samantha giggled, patting my stomach.

"Max, can I see Adeem today?" Tabitha asked, walking into the room. "Please? It's Saturday."

I sighed. "Ask Fang."

"He'll say no!"

"Dang right," Fang said. "Besides, we have enough people over here right now."

"I'll go to his house."

"Nope."

"I hate you," she told him, glaring heavily.

"I know," he said, beginning to flip through the channels. "But seeing as I'm the one that buys all your Christmas presents, I would be careful at how much hate you spew."

"I don't celebrate Christmas," she said smugly. "I'm Muslim."

"Baby, you're as Muslim as I am poor," Cameron said. "Is Adeem your boyfriend or something?"

"No," Tabitha said. "He's just my friend."

Cameron stared at Tabitha for a moment. I had never considered Cameron's feelings on Tabitha's friendship with Adeem. I supposed it would the same for me if something happened to Tyler and Alex became friends with someone and I had to still be around her. I don't think that I would be mad at Alex, just a little upset and sad, maybe. That had to be what Cameron was feeling.

"Maybe I could take you and Adeem out to eat today," Cameron offered, which only confused me further.

Tabitha seemed suspicious. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I have nothing to do and Max is too pregnant to take you. Then you could see Adeem and I wouldn't have to stay here all day."

"Do I even get a say in all this?" Fang asked.

Nope.

* * *

"How do you know Cameron?" Adeem asked.

They were at a burger place and Cameron had gone to the bathroom.

"She's Tommy's aunt. Or was," Tabitha said, frowning.

"Isn't he your boyfriend that…died?"

"Yes," Tabitha said. "So?"

"I just was wonderin' why you still talk to her."

"Because she's my Dad and Max's friend. And she loves me."

"So you say that your parents hate you, but all their friends love you?"

Tabitha narrowed her eyes at him. "What's your point?"

"Nothing! I was just wondering if I got all that right," he said, looking down at his drink. "Is Cameron crazy too?"

"Not Luther crazy, if that's what you mean," Tabitha told him.

"What's Luther crazy?"

They both looked up as Cameron sat back down across from them.

"Nothing," Tabitha said.

"Well, it's obviously something if you're having to compare me to Luther."

"Luther's crazy 'cause he always ask me if he's being a racist," Adeem told her. "I'm not sure what that means, but Tabitha called me stupid when I said that I'm fast."

Cameron frowned before shaking her head. "So what kind of crazy am I, Tabitha?"

"I don't know," she said, looking down. She felt weird, being around Cameron without Tommy. She liked Cameron, she was fun, but it wasn't the same without Tommy.

"Well, tell me when you find out," Cameron told her. "Adeem, Tyler told me that you-"

"Tyler's a liar," Adeem said. "It's not my fault that someone stole his little girlfriend's Ipod! Besides, once whoever it was found out how nice and cute the girl was, he put it back in her bag during recess."

"You sure know a lot about who did it," observed Cameron. "But of course it wasn't you."

"I know! I'm not a thief," Adeem said. "Tyler didn't have to hit me."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "First off, Adeem, Cameron's being sarcastic. She knows that it was you. Secondly, don't steal from Alex or my brother. And lastly, Alex is not cute, alright?"

"Fine," he said. "But she kind of is. And she's not mean."

"Neither am I!"

"I didn't say you were," he said, frowning when she looked at him, but smiling at Cameron when she looked away.

"Good," Tabitha said. "Besides, Alex doesn't like you. She hates you. And yes, Tyler did beat you up."

"No."

"Yes, he did. And say that Alex is cute again and I'll make him beat you up again!"

"Why?" Adeem seemed to be having fun. "Is it because you _like_ me?"

"No!" Tabitha was getting frustrated. "I do not, at all, like you."

"If you're sure."

"I am," she said, her hand coming up to her neck to grab the ring necklace that was around her neck.

Adeem grabbed the ketchup. "Then you're okay with-"

"Whatever it is, fine. Do it. See if I care."

Adeem shrugged. "Fine."

* * *

"You wanna come to church with me tomorrow?"

Alex shook her head. "I don't think I can, Tyler."

"'course you can!"

"No," she said. "I don't think that it would be right."

"Why not?"

"I'm Catholic, Tyler."

"So? I go to you when I spend the night at your place," he said. "Please?"

"I don't really like Dan."

"That's Damien's dad, you know," Tyler said, glancing over at the older man. "You have to be nice."

"It's alright, Tyler," Damien said. "I don't particularly like him either."

Damien and Bone were letting the paint dry before they did anything else. They had approximately six hours before that happened. Damien suggested that they just reconvene tomorrow, but Bone said no. He told Damien that if he left, he would then lose out on the chance to draw on the walls.

"If you say so," Tyler said. "Is Max still asleep?"

"Yes," Bone said from the chair. He was watching a movie. "And she's going to stay that way, alright?"

"I wasn't going to bother her," Tyler said, offended. "When's Tabitha gonna be back?"

"I don't know," Damien said. They had started on Cody and James's room around seven in the morning, and it was now one in the afternoon. He really just wanted to go home with Sam and Cam and take a nap in his bed, cuddling with his girls and his cat.

"Num-na," Samantha said, looking up at Damien. She was perched on his leg, happily chewing on a toy. "Ah!"

"Are you happy?" Damien asked her, giving her a kiss. "Daddy's sleepy."

She made a noise. She was so happy that Daddy was with her. She loved Daddy. She was laughing so much at the attention that he was giving her that she peed. Then she was crying.

Damien groaned, getting up to take her to the bathroom. The only bathroom that was on the first floor was the master bathroom, so Damien quietly walked through the bedroom, as not to wake Max. James followed him.

"Wha'?"

"I'm changing her diaper," Damien whispered to him. "She's too little to use the potty yet, huh Sam?"

"Me big boy!"

"I know," Damien said. "You use the potty, right?"

James nodded. "Yep!"

"That's good," Damien said. "Crap. I left the diaper bag in the living room. Can you go get it, James?"

James nodded, running off to do his uncle's bidding.

"Wha' 'oo doin'?" Cody asked James when he came back to the living room.

"Bag," James said, going to get it. "Be 'ack."

Dutifully, James walked back into Max and Fang's bedroom. It was then he noticed his favorite person in the world. He gasped.

"Hi, Max!"

* * *

I was taking a nap when someone woke me up.

"Hi, Max!"

I groaned, sitting up. "James? What are you doing, baby?"

"Sorry," Damien said, coming out of my bathroom. "I was changing Sam. I didn't think that he would-"

"It's fine, Damien," I said, laying back down. "How's the painting going?"

He took the diaper bag from James. "We're waiting for the paint to dry. I asked Bone if we could just come back and finish tomorrow, but he said no."

"How many coats did it take?"

"A few," Damien said. "Max, go back to sleep. Everything's alright."

James crawled into bed with me. "Hi, Max."

"Hey, baby."

He patted my stomach. "Hi 'ason."

I smiled a little. "Don't you want to go play, baby?"

He shook his head. "No. Stay wid you!"

"I don't think you can," Damien said from the bathroom. "Bone'll kill me if he knows that I let you in here and you woke up Max, James."

"It's fine," I told him. "Really."

Samantha made a noise as her father pulled her pants back on her. "Mama."

"She's not here," Damien said, picking up the baby. "Thanks for letting me use your bathroom, Max. I'll take her upstairs next time."

"It's fine," I told him. "This house is stupid, only having one restroom on the first floor."

"Sorry James woke you."

"Damien, stop apologizing for stuff," I said. "You think that your uncle needs to calm down? Huh James?"

"Yes!" James declared before getting under the covers with me.

"James!" Cody walked into the room. "'iar!"

"No!"

"No come 'ack!" Cody crawled into bed.

"Oh no," Damien said. "Now Bone will-"

"What are you all doing in here?" Bone walked into the room. "Max is sleeping."

"No," I said, "I'm not."

"You should be," he said, going over to the bed. "Come on, boys."

"No!" James cuddled against me while Cody moved to hide in the covers.

"They're napping with me," I told him. "Go away."

Damien started walking out of the room with his daughter. "Sleep good, guys."

Bone wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. I heard him yell at the younger man as they walked out of the room. Ugh, Bone.

* * *

Lucas thoughtfully looked around his new room. Sure, he had been staying in it for awhile now, but it was different now that he was sure that he was staying there. After he finally got rid of his brother and Alex, he decided it was time to redecorate.

Humming to himself, he began to move Tyler's action figures and yoyo's off the dresser and put up his stuffed animals. There was a stack of Spiderman comics that Lucas pushed under Tyler's bed, making room for Lucas's radio. The radio didn't work and Fang was going to get rid of it, but Lucas told him that he wanted it. He would play with the dial and pretend that it worked. Nothing beats imagination these days.

"I don't know, Fred," Lucas said to his plastic snake. "I kind of like it, I guess."

Lucas put Fred next to Wa-wa and Bear. They were on a shelf that hung above Tyler's bed.

"You get to be up here, Fred. With the special toys."

He jumped down off his brother's bed and looked around. Now he needed a place to put his coloring books. He had a whole crate of them. Lucas pushed Tyler's box of toys into the closet and replaced it with his crate. There. Maybe this whole room sharing thing wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

"But Max-"

"No, Tyler," I said, looking around the room. "You two are brothers. You need to learn to share. Share this room."

"But it was mine first."

I sighed. "Tyler, I don't feel well. Work it out, okay? It doesn't even look that bad."

"He moved my comics!"

"I had to," Lucas said. "And look, Mommy! Fred gots his own place now."

"That is a spot for the elite toys, Lucas," Tyler yelled. "Your stupid snake is not one of them!"

Alex sat down on Tyler's bed. "Share, Ty."

"I've been sharing!"

I could feel Tyler's pain. It wasn't his fault that Fang and I are having another kid and that we keep taking in other people's kids. Though, sometimes, I find it hard to sympathize. At least he had a home. At least he had, not only two parents that love him, but a whole bunch of adults that would give their lives for him. When I was a kid, I had a whole bunch of adults that would gladly _take_ my life. And, on top of everything else, he was so much better off than Kevin. He was living, Kevin wasn't. When you look at it that way, there's not much else to say.

"Look, Ty, I don't know what to tell you."

"You just like him better," Tyler said. "'cause he's your son."

"No," I said, clicking my tongue. "I'm trying to be fair. And if you ever say that to me again, you can deal with Fang about the subject."

Alex frowned. "Tyler, Lucas, what if I decide where stuff goes?"

"No!" Lucas got mad. "You take Ty sides."

"No, I won't," Alex said. "I like you too, Lucas."

"Fine," Tyler said, clearly thinking his little not girlfriend would take his side on things. "I'm okay with it if you are, Lucas."

Lucas looked at me. "Am I okay with it?"

"I would be if I were you."

"Okay," Lucas said. "Fred stays though."

"No!"

Forget ughing Bone. Ugh these two.

* * *

"Isn't you guys' room dry yet?" Cameron asked, laying her head on Damien's arm. It was around five now and Max was already back in bed. After dealing with Tyler and Lucas, she had declared that her stomach was killing her, and she retired.

"Could be," Damien said. Both he and Bone were engrossed with a movie at the moment though.

"You guys are so stupid," Cameron said. The movie was dumb to her. "Where are all the kids?"

"James and Cody are with Max," Bone said.

"Tyler and Lucas are in the garage, waiting for Alex to finish dividing up their stuff."

"Where's Tabitha?"

The two guys shrugged. Cameron rolled her eyes, figuring that the girl was probably drawing. Boy was she off.

At the moment, Tabitha was watching Alex as she went through her brother's stuff, deciding what went where. Why did they choose Alex over her? Tabitha was their older sister, after all. She was even Tyler's twin! She should have been the one they asked.

"You know," Tabitha said, walking into the room. "I could help you, if you want."

Alex jumped a little. She hadn't known that Tabitha was there. "No. I'm fine."

I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, inner Tabitha mocked. God did she hate Alex's voice at the moment. What with her fake sincerity. Alex was, was, was just a horrible friend!

"If you say so," Tabitha said, going to sit down on Lucas's bed.

"How was lunch with Adeem?" Alex asked.

See? Alex was the one whole brought him up. She must like him back! It was all sickening. Not that Tabitha liked Adeem or anything, because she didn't.

"Alright, I guess."

"We ate sandwiches," Alex told her. "Lucas got peanut butter all over me, though."

"Right," Tabitha said, not at all interested in Lucas or peanut butter. "Anyways, about Adeem...he stole that Ipod from you, huh?"

"Yep," Alex said, giggling. "I got it from my older brother. He let me borrow it. You know Christian, right? He was letting me see if I liked it or not, 'cause he thought he was going to get a new one for his birthday."

"Do you like Adeem?"

Alex shrugged. "He's okay, I guess. He's nice sometimes, but then other times he's just mean. That's fine though. That's the way Tyler is."

"I didn't mean that kind of like."

"What other kind is there?" Alex asked, confused.

"He called you cute," Tabitha said, trying to hide the contempt in her voice.

"Tell him _gracias por mi,_" Alex said. "And that I think he's cute too."

"You think that he's cute?" Tabitha asked, ready to throw her venom at Alex.

"Yep," Alex said, dragging Tyler's box of toys out of the closet. "I think that you're cute too, Tabitha."

Tabitha held in a groan. Talking to Alex was like talking to a two year old. She was never going to admit that she was a little backstabbing...not boyfriend stealer! It wasn't fair. Alex wasn't _that_ cute. Sure, she was skinny and had long hair and always smiled and wore cool clothes, but still. If Tyler liked someone that clearly meant that they shouldn't be worth any amount of time.

"You know," Alex went on. "I think that Adeem likes you."

Okay, now Alex was just playing with her. "So what if he does? He called you cute."

Alex frowned. "I call Lucas cute. That doesn't mean anything."

"You're so stupid, Alex."

"No," Alex said, frowning. She thought that they were having a nice conversation and then Tabitha just, out of nowhere, just throws a Barbie doll at her head. And not even a cool Barbie like Fashion Fairytale Barbie! More like a I dream of Jeannie Barbie doll. It wasn't even fair. What did she do?

"Yes, you are," Tabitha said. "That's why your only friend is Tyler. You're dumb. All you do is spend all your time with him because you don't want other people to tell you the truth. You're nothing but a boyfriend stealer!"

Alex felt like crying. Then she found her resolve. If Tabitha was going to yell at her, Alex was going to hit her where it hurt. "'least Tyler didn't die so that he didn't have to see me anymore."

"What?"

"Yeah," Alex said, becoming more confident. "And my mom loves me. Yours can't stand you. Even your _madrastra _can't stand you. That's why Max and your dad keep having babies. They want more kids to replace you!"

"I hate you!" Tabitha yelled. Alex had just said exactly what she had felt forever. It wasn't fair. Tabitha started crying. Her crying made Alex cry. Why did everything have to be so unfair?

* * *

What am I supposed to do now? I heard what Tabitha had to say, and if I take what she says as truth, Alex was being a jerk to her. But you never just take one side of the story. I had Cameron listen to Alex's side. That was before I knew what she said about Tommy though. If I had known that, I would have had someone else take care of it.

"What do I do?" I asked Cameron. Her opinion would probably be biased though.

"Tabitha started it," Cameron said, shocking me. "Alex was just fighting back. She didn't mean any of it, I don't think."

I was taken aback by this. "You're not mad about what she said about-"

"I just told you, Max, she was just fighting back," Cameron said. "If I was saying things about you, you would try to get at me too. Alex is nice, but she's a little girl too. She'll hurt Tabitha if she hurts her."

"Still," I said. "Do I sent Alex home?"

"I don't know," Cameron said, sighing.

We were in the living room. Bone and Damien had finally gone to draw on the walls, so we were alone. Cody and James were playing with Lucas in what will be Neo and Jason's room. Gasman had gone out, taking Neo with him. I had separated Alex and Tabitha, putting Tabitha in my bedroom and Alex with Tyler in his room.

"Why did Adeem tell her that Alex was cute?" I asked.

"Tabitha was being bossy and he was playing with her," Cameron said, shrugging.

I know you're always supposed to take your child's side in things, but I wasn't really feeling Tabitha's pain in this. You can't start a fight and then complain when you come out with the most injuries. She just needed to brush herself off and lick her wounds for awhile.

"I guess I'm just going to let Alex stay," I decided. What else was there to do? Though, this would make me look at Alex different. Last year, when she punched Tyler in the mouth, that kind of made me take notice of her darker side, but this was more shocking. I knew her to be the one to tell Tyler to just walk away from things. I guess though that some people are better at tell than doing.

* * *

**Alright, guys, damage control time. Personally, I don't like admitting my mistakes. I'll own up to spelling and grammar that I mess up on, but I don't like plot holes. I try to hide those, but this one was pretty big. I needed to find out Cody and James's age when I started this chapter for some reason when I noticed something. At some point, I changed Lucas's age by mistake, which led me to put him in kindergarten. Turns out, Lucas was not four, like I for some reason believed. I was a year off. That being said, I've changed a few things. Basically, Lucas is now in preschool instead of kindergarten. Not that big of deal. I just changed the text in chapter 18 and 19, where Max was talking about it. No biggie, I guess. **

**I've made some big mistakes in Change and Adjusting too, but nothing this big. Kind of pisses me off a little, but I'll manage. So, to recap, Lucas is in preschool, not kindergarten. He is three right now and will turn four in the next chapter or two. Sorry for any confusion. **


	25. Chapter 25

Living

Chapter 25

I think that the hardest thing you will ever face in this life is your own mortality. The second hardest thing?

I covered my eyes. "Tyler, why are you asking me about this?"

"I wanna know," he said. "Alex knows about sex."

It was Sunday and I was trying to get him ready for church.

"What does she know about sex?" I asked. A year ago, she didn't even know what a dick was.

"I don't know," he said. "Can you tell me what it is?"

"You know what it is."

"No, I know that I'm not allowed to say it. Please?"

"Ask Fang."

"I don't want to though," Tyler said.

"Well, you're going to have to."

"Fine! I'll just ask Bone-"

"No."

"Luther?"

"No."

"Damien," he decided.

Anything's better than Luther and Bone.

* * *

After church, Tyler told Dan that he wanted to ride home with Damien. After checking to make sure that this was okay with his son, Dan said alright and reluctantly let his prodigy in the making leave with his biggest disappointment ever.

"Where do you want to eat, Ty?" Damien asked him.

Tyler didn't answer that question. Instead he asked his own. "What's sex?"

"W-What?"

"Sex. Max wouldn't tell me."

Damien grimaced, thoughts of the times his father told him about sex floating through his mind. He and his father didn't get along to begin with, so talking about how much of a sin masturbation was didn't help a lot. These were one of the things that made him glad that he and Cameron had a girl.

"You should really ask Fang about that," Damien said.

"No! I like you better," Tyler said. Which was true. He liked Tabitha better than he liked Fang.

"Tyler, I'm serious," Damien said. "You need to talk to him about it. Besides, aren't you, like, seven?"

"Almost eight," Tyler said, something he tended to take pride in.

"Yeah, but still," Damien said. "There is nothing that you need to know about that for a long time."

"Alex knows about it," Tyler defended.

"What about it?"

"I don't know. She didn't say," he told Damien, frowning. "Hey, Damien?"

"What?"

"How come Tabitha and Alex fought last night? Why does it matter if Adeem thinks Alex is cute?"

"I don't know, Tyler. They're girls."

Like that explained it. "Alex isn't all that cute, anyways."

"Well, don't say that," Damien said. "Everyone's cute in their own right."

"I hate Tabitha and Adeem," Tyler said.

"What? Tyler, you're not supposed to hate people."

"I know, but Tabitha made Alex cry. And if Adeem hadn't had said nothing, neither of them would have cried," Tyler explained. "So, I hate Adeem and Tabitha."

"Tyler, the bible says not to hate."

"I know, but it's so hard."

"Everything is," Damien said. "You just have to persevere. You know, push through it."

"I guess so," Tyler said, sighing.

* * *

Bone and Damien stayed at our house long after me and the kids went to bed. Cameron slept on our couch, I think. All I know is that when I woke up to get Tyler ready, Cameron, Bone, Damien, and Samantha were gone.

After sending Tyler off, I went to go look at the bedroom. All I have to say is wow. I guess when they said draw, they meant that they were going to sketch it out in pencil and then go over it with more paint.

I can't really explain what they painted. It was a bunch of different things. I think they just each took one half of the room and then just drew. Very few of the drawing seem to have any correlation, just drawings. They ranged from a cross with a rose around it (probably Damien) to semi-demon looking creatures (probably Bone). None of them were too scary, though. They knew I'd kick their ass if it was.

"Wow," Fang said, walking into the room. He got home around four last night. "Looks nice, huh?"

"Yeah," I said as he brought me into his arms. "Not really two year old like, though."

"Yeah, but they'll like looking at the pictures now, and when they get older, they'll just like because no one else has it," Fang said.

"I guess," I said, looking around. I could pretty easily depict who drew what. Damien was very detailed, while Bone was more into shading. One what seemed to be Damien's side of the room, there were birds, angels, and trees. On Bone's, there were snakes, tigers, and dragons. On the center wall, they seemed to collide, blending each other's sides of the room's together. Next to a cute little teddy bear could be a real bear, looking like it might eat it's counterpart.

"They said that they're not finished," Fang told me. "That they think there's still too much white in some areas."

"I don't think so," I said, looking around. "You know the one thing that I want them to do, though?"

"What?"

"I want them to paint the crown molding blue. Dark blue."

Fang frowned, but nodded his head. "If that's what you want."

"It is," I said.

* * *

When Alex woke up, Tyler had already left for church. Instead, it was Lucas that was standing next to the bed, waiting for her.

"Alex?"

"What?"

He smiled. "I need your help with something."

She got up. "What is it, Lucas?"

"I want you to make me British."

"Why?" She asked, frowning. How do you even make someone British? It sounded as dumb as Tyler's desire to be a Jew. Some things you just can't control.

"I wan' a accent."

"An accent," Alex corrected.

"Yeah," he said, not thinking that she was correcting. "A accent."

"No. It's an."

He frowned at her. "I just wanna be British."

"I don't even know what British is."

Lucas giggled. "Can you help me?"

"No," Alex said.

Frowning, Lucas followed Alex out of the room. "I'm almost four."

"I know."

"Gonna get mes a present?"

"Why would I?"

"You get Tyler and Tabitha a present," he accused. "Thought we were friends?"

"We are," Alex said, sighing a little. "Fine, I'll buy you a present."

Lucas smiled. "Good."

* * *

"New 'oom!" Cody was jumping up and down along with James. Lucas patted the wall that Bone did.

"I want this room, Mommy."

"Nope," I said. "It's the theirs. Come on, Tyler's better than some drawings, right?"

"No."

Cameron gave Damien a kiss on the cheek. "You did good, omen."

He smiled a little. "Will you let me draw on Samantha's walls?"

"Absolutely not."

It was after church, and everyone was here to look at the room, except for Fang. It was my turn to work, but he said that he would, not wanting to make me. Tyler was home now, and was off playing with Alex somewhere, while Tabitha was banging on her drums.

Luther looked around the room. "I guess you guys did alright. I really think you should have asked me to do it, though, Max."

"You can't draw near as good as us," Damien said. "What were you going to do? Write paragraphs on the walls?"

Luther looked so hurt by that statement. Really, he never does anything for us now. James was his son, after all.

"What about those empty spaces?" Bone asked, shocking me. He looked at his friend with something that I had never seen on Bone's face. Pity.

Bone always thought that he had the most destroyed soul, that everyone else was just a poser. Now, he was the one with a loving fiancée and a chance to start a family. He had taken Luther's place certain ways, and Fang had taken all of Luther's fatherly duties. Now, even Damien had the daughter that Luther always wanted.

When I first came here, Luther was top dog. Then he left and everyone moved on. Now, he wasn't even beta to Bone or Fang. He was on the last ledge of all his friendships. From what Fang's told me, even Slice, who now went by his real name, Keith, had found love and was getting married. Everyone else had moved on, found a family, and Luther hadn't. It was sad, really, in the way that little kids growing up is sad. What made Luther really sad though, was that he hadn't grown up. He was now thirty something with a son and an ex-wife, but he still wanted to live like a nineteen year old and still keep all his thirty year old friends. It doesn't work that way.

"What about them?" Luther asked.

Bone gave him a smile. Recently, it seemed like all Bone ever did was smile. "Do whatever you want with them. There's some left over paint cans in the garage. I mean, if it's okay with you, Max."

"Yeah," I said, feeling awkward. When had Bone become leader? I guess though, with Luther out of action, he had the most seniority.

Victoria sighed. "Come on, Artemis. We're going to be late for the movie."

He gave me a kiss and Lucas before they left. After I heard the door close behind them, all was quiet. It sounded like even Tabitha had stopped banging on her drums. Lucas took the two younger boys to play in his room.

"I've got work soon," Damien said. "You okay, Lou?"

He stared at Damien. "Fine. Yeah, go. See you guys later. Bye, Samantha."

She giggled, burying her head in Damien's shoulder. Cameron ran a hand down my shoulder, giving me a smile, before they too were gone. Then it was just me and Luther.

Neither of us said anything for awhile. After a minute, I decided I probably had to start.

"Luther-"

"It's not fair," he said. He didn't yell or scream. He just whispered it. His back slowly slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor, his knees pulled to his chest. "Why do they all get to be happy? What did I do? Fuck, I raised Damien and Bone, Max. Fang too. They're all nothing without me."

I stared at him for a second. "Luther, I'm going to say something to you, and I know you're going to take it the wrong way, but hear me out."

"What?"

"I think that you should leave again."

His cold eyes found mine. "What?"

I sighed. "Not leave like you did last time. You should take Tabitha and James and tell them both that you need your space. And you could call, visit sometimes. Right now though, this town is killing you. Too much has happened here. Trust me, sometimes it's better to just leave things broke and come back to fix them later."

"What about the store Max? And, last time I checked, James is my son."

"Luther, sometimes you have to leave your kids for the better," I told him. "Look at Lydia. They are doing so much better without her. I know that she originally did it for selfish reasons, but her leaving ultimately helped."

Luther shook his head a little. "Do you know what it's like to be in control of people, Max? I mean really in control. I had Fang, Bone, and Damien doing my bidding for me. Then you came a ruined it all."

"Hey-"

"You set Damien up with Cameron, you gave Fang the wife he always wanted, and you gave Bone the sister back that he longed for," Luther accused. He laughed harshly, looking intently at the floor. "No matter what I do, Max, everything I touch dies. Everything. You though, bring everything to life. In a sick way, Max, I want you. I want you so badly."

I'm going to have a Fang moment and go ahead and say it. I am way too pregnant to deal with this.

"I want to know what it feels like to have the other half," Luther said. "You don't complete Fang, baby, but you do me."

I shook my head. It doesn't shock me that Luther's finally lost it. Why would it? All those drugs and alcohol had to have deteriorated his mind a long time ago. "Luther, I love you. Just not-"

"I know," he said. "I love you too, Max. How could I not love you? Baby girl, I want to take care of you so badly, but I couldn't even take care of Tammie. No way could I deal with you."

"I've never asked you to, Luther."

"I know, I know," he said, sighing. "But I've tried. I've tried so hard. Where's my wife, Max? Where's the girl that you just know is right for me and you set me up? The one that I love unconditionally? Huh? Where's the girl that I grew up with? The one who's virginity I took? Huh? And where's the girl that loves me, and I had a child with that died? Huh? Where, Max?"

"You've had her, Luther. You broke Tammie down," I told him. "You've used up all your chances with her. You have to let her go and try again."

"With who, Max? All the women I know are either related to me, you, Cameron, or sluts!"

I wanted to just hug him and tell him that it would be alright, but I couldn't. This wasn't the Luther that I knew. This is what the Luther I knew became over years of self pity, drinks, and sex. It was…I know that I've said sad too much, but that's the only thing I can think of to call it.

"Then go find one, Luther," I said, trying to keep my voice down. Slowly, as I was eight months pregnant, I got down on the floor with him and sat down next to him. "It could take you forever, Luther, but you have to know, you're not going to find her sitting here or the store. If you want something, you go and get it. Staying in this town is only holding you back. You want to have a wife and a family? Go and get it. I'll keep James until you're ready for him to be apart of that family. You want to be an author? Go write. I'll keep Tabitha here and make sure that she knows how much you love her. You want to be the leader of someone? Find someone who needs you. These guys don't anymore. I know it hurts, but it's life. You have to keep moving, changing, adjusting, accepting, whatever. If you don't do all that, then you're not really ever alive. You're dead, Luther. I don't want you to die."

He shook his head. "I don't know, Max. I just don't. I'm scared."

"It's okay," I said, running a hand from his knee to the top of his thigh. "You're okay. We're all okay."

He turned his head a little, facing me. I thought that he was going to say something, but he didn't. Instead he kissed me. Oh God.

It was a soft kiss. It lasted no more than two seconds, but it said it all. There was nothing there for me, of course there wouldn't be, and Luther's face showed the same. It seemed he had ridden everything on a feeling, a spark. There wasn't one. For a second, neither of us said anything. Then he jumped up, his eyes filled with fear.

"Luther, wait-"

He took off running, ignoring my calls. If only I knew that was the last time I'd see him for a few years, I would have taken a better look. But I didn't. I just knew that my stomach was killing me, and I had just given James's father a free pass to leave him again. Oh, what a tangled web we weave.

And just like that, Tabitha's drums could be heard again. Momentarily, I wondered if they had ever stopped, or if I had just blocked them out.

* * *

"He did what?"

It was late, now. Alex had already gone home, and I had put all the kids to bed. Gasman had already left for work, so it was eerily quiet in the house. Fang was finally off from work. I had been waiting up for him in the living room, feeling like I had to tell him about what happened.

"Nothing happened, Fang," I said. "I mean, sure, we kissed, but it wasn't, like, a big deal. It was a…sweet kiss. A kiss like you might give Tabitha, only on the lips."

Fang was shaking with anger. "I can't believe-"

"Fang, I didn't tell you to make you upset," I said. "I told you because I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of what Luther's going to do."

"What are you talking about?"

"I told him that he should leave, that he should go out and be what he always wanted to be. I don't think he took it so well."

"Max, he tried to-"

"He didn't try to sleep with me, Fang," I said, shaking my head. "You're missing the point, baby. Luther's not right, you know that. Now I've taking the last block out from under his feet. I have no idea what he's going to do."

Fang shook his head. "Max, it isn't your job to take care of him."

"Then who's is it, Fang? If it's not mine, then who's? It's not Tabitha's, it's not yours, not Bone's, not Damien's, not Cameron's, not Tammie's, not Trinity's, not Dan's, not anyone's," I said. I think it was just the hormones, but I was crying now. "He has no one, Fang. We have his son, God has his daughter. He's all alone. You, you've never been alone. You always had Dr. Martinez, or the twins, but me, I've been alone. I've come home to find that my empty apartment wasn't my home. It was just where I was stuck, where I have to stay. That's what's going on with Luther, Fang. He's alone."

"So what, Max? He's not your problem, baby." Fang hugged me. "He's alone because he made it that way. _He_ treated Tammie wrong, _he_ didn't try to be a father to James, _he_ let all this shit happen. It's his fault, Max. I want to be his friend, but I can't fix his life for him. I can't clean up this mess that he's made. We both know that he's the only one that can do that."

"I love him, Fang. If this was Iggy, I don't think I could just stand by and let it happen."

"Yes, Max, you would. What other choice would you have?" Fang looked down at me with the eyes that normally captivate me, but recently have begun to haunt me. "Sometimes, things happen that are beyond our control. They're in God's hands."

"Fuck God."

Fang closed his eyes. "Maybe, just maybe, for once, you could just put your faith in something and see it through. You told him to leave? Then give him a chance to leave. Let him grow up. If we just all leave him alone and don't shed a single tear for him, maybe he'll learn that part of life is growing old."

I laughed a little, shocking not only Fang, but also myself. Sniffling, I looked up at my husband. "I thought that I hated Luther, for helping you to cheat. Then, I remembered what you told me. Hate and love aren't opposites. I'll never feel indifferent about Luther. I'll always hate what he's become, but I can't help to love him regardless."

Fang gave me a kiss on the lips, one that was similar to Luther's, but so, so different. "You think that he'll be okay?"

I reached up and grabbed the cross that was around my neck. It was Fang's first Christmas gift to me. Along with Tyler and Tabitha's first gifts, I felt invincible. "Who knows? I trust God though."

Fang slowly smiled. "I love you, Max."

"I love you too."

* * *

The week passed slowly with no sign of Luther, but I was taking the Lindsey Lohan approach to things. No new is good news, right?

Anyways, it was the Saturday after Luther had disappeared, and it also happened to be the 9th. At around two in the morning, Fang and I were in bed, when Cody and James crawled into bed with us. Bone and Damien had painted the crown molding blue like I had asked, so we had already moved the boys into their new room.

"What's wrong?" Fang asked them, putting the two friends in between us.

"Mon'er," Cody complained, hiding under the blanket. "'card."

"Yeah," James agreed, cuddling against me. It was so early in the morning that I decided that God must have sent them to me, wanting to give me comfort on this horrid day. Yes, I was putting more faith in God than usual. I guess Tyler's rubbing off on me.

It wasn't till around seven that I heard her scream.

"Tabitha!" Fang jumped out of bed, rushing to get to her. "Baby, what's wrong?"

We both ran up the stairs. Tabitha was standing in Cody and James's room, staring at the wall. She wasn't crying. She had just screamed.

"Is it the Green Goblin?" Tyler asked, he and Alex rushing into the room.

"What's wrong?" Gasman asked, coming in there too.

"Did you pee?" Lucas asked. "I gets scared of my pee sometimes too."

"What's wrong, baby?" Fang went to her and got down on his knees.

"He left me again!" She was pointing to the wall. I looked around and realized that all the white spaces had been filled up, writing in their place. One had _To Tabitha_ written in at the top in Luther's beautiful hand writing. Another was addressed to James, and the last one had nothing showing who it was for. Under the title less one, on the floor, sat a key.

"His house key," Fang said, sighing as he picked it up. "Tabitha-"

"No! You're all liars!" She pushed past everyone to get away from the room. "All of you! I hate you!"

Tyler sighed. "Well, since he's off the list, Gasman will you tell me about sex?"

For once, even I couldn't smile at Tyler's cuteness.

* * *

"Now what?" I asked Fang. "I mean, do we paint over it or-"

"I don't know, okay?" Fang ran a hand through his hair. We were still in the room, our backs against the door as we sat much like Luther and I had, but different. "God, why does he do this? That's my daughter! He can't keep doing this to her, Max."

I laid my head on his shoulder, thankful for my raptor-like vision. I was able to read his writing from all the way over here. The one that was meant for James was the shortest, as he didn't know James that well. Even though James was his own flesh and blood, Luther clearly felt very little connection to him, something that was sad and yet comforting. James loved me and Fang like parents. That's just the way that it was going to have to be for awhile.

_To James_

_I know that you don't know me, bud, and that it's not your fault, but I do love you. If I could, I'd still be there with you. I swear I would. Sometimes, though, things just don't work out. Besides, you have Fang, Damien, and Bone to take care of you. They're all way better uncles than I'll ever be a father. I love you,_

_Daddy._

The one to Tabitha was a little longer, a felt more real. Like really cared about her. I know he does, but sometimes, he has a crummy way of showing it.

_To Tabitha_

_I know that you hate me. I know that you love me too, though. It doesn't matter either way, I guess. I'll love you no matter what you feel about me, you're my best friend. You're really my only friend, for the most part. I want you to know that if I could, I'd have taken you with me. I'd leave all the rest of them. They didn't mean near as much to me as you do, but sometimes, things change. You have to learn to accept it, baby. Listen to Max, she knows. And I know that you know better than any of us that some things turn out for the better. I'm not gone, Tabitha. I'm just not there right now. If I'm not back by the time you're eighteen, you can go ahead and forget about me. Promise. But if I'm back before then, you have to take me back in, okay? I can't live without knowing that you love me. I'll see you again, Tabitha, _

_Love Luther_

The next one, the one two all of us, fell somewhere in the middle with it's length, and somewhere in the middle with its emotion level.

_I'm a liar. Sue me. To do that though, you have to find me first, and none of you will ever do that. Bone, hold down the fort for me, will ya? And Damien, don't die while I'm gone. Fang, just don't hit Max, and I think that everything will turn out okay. To all the rest of you, know that I have to do this. If what Max says is true, when I come back, I'll be fixed again. If not, you can all blame her. You know what? Either way, blame her. I love you, Max, forever. _

_Luther_

"Max, if I had ever know that he had begun to get those type of feelings for you-"

"Stop, Fang," I said, shaking my head. "Just stop, please."

He ran a hand down my stomach. "Everything bad happens on this day, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, closing my eyes. "It's like God just won't let this day die for me."

Fang leaned down and gave my stomach a kiss. "Jason says that he's sorry."

"Jason's fine today," I said, sighing. "It's my head that's killing me today, not Jay."

Fang looked up into my eyes. "Do you need Carlos?"

"No," I decided. "I just need my wonderful husband."

Fang gave me a crooked smile. "Well, you're in luck. He just happens to be free today."

"Does he?"

"Yep. His new boss, Bone, gave him the day off to take care of his wife."

I smiled back at him. "Did I ever mention how much I love Bone being in charge?"

"No, but I think you might start now."

* * *

"Tabitha?"

"Just go away. Don't you know what I hate you means?" She wasn't yelling. Her voice was tired sounding though.

"You don't really hate me," Alex said, coming into the garage. "I know that you don't really hate me. How could you really hate me?"

"Easily."

"No," Alex said, going to sit down on the floor next to the other girl. "We're _amigas_, remember?"

Tabitha sniffled. "Just leave me alone, okay? I don't want to talk to you, alright?"

Alex looked at the ground. "I'm sorry if you think that I'm trying to take Adeem from you."

"I don't even care about that anymore, Alex!" Now she was yelling. "I'm mad because Luther left me again. He promised to never leave me again. Why would he leave me again?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know."

"You were right, Alexandria," Tabitha said.

"'bout what?" Alex asked, taking notice of the fact that Tabitha had called her by her full name, something she used to do when she hated her.

"About me," she said, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall. "Tommy left me, my mommy left me, Tammie left me, and now Luther's left me again. What's wrong with me? Even Max and Dad don't like me."

"That's not true," Alex said, frowning. Had she really hurt Tabitha this badly with her words last week? If she had, it wasn't her original M.O.

"Yes, it is. No one really likes me."

"I really like you," Alex said.

"No, you don't. How could you? I'm mean to you, tell people your secrets, call you names." Tabitha looked away. "I'm not good at being a friend."

"'course you are," Alex said with conviction. "One of the best friends I have. One of the only two friends I really have."

"Huh?"

"You were more right about me than I was you," Alex admitted. Unlike Tabitha, she wasn't worried about how weak her voice sounded. Alex hadn't learned from Max like Tabitha. She would willing lay everything out on the table, all her thoughts and feelings, just to make Tabitha feel better.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't got a lot of friends," Alex said. "Just you and Tyler, really. And Lucas, I guess. Now I have to buy him a birthday present though."

Tabitha shook her head. "You could have a lot of friends, Alex. If you just stopped hanging out with Tyler."

"What?"

"Yeah," Tabitha went on. "You don't get how many people think that you're smart and funny. They just don't like you 'cause of my brother. If you stopped being friends with him, you could have so many more friends."

Alex shook her head. "Then I don't want anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"If I can't have Tyler, why would I want anyone else?" Alex asked. "Tyler's the best friend I've ever had. We fight, but he loves me and I love him. What would be the point of having other friends with out him?"

Tabitha shook her head. "You must really like being friends with my brother."

"I do," Alex told her. "Just like you really liked being friends with Tommy, and now you really like being friends with Adeem."

Tabitha looked her in the eyes. "Like how I really like being friends with you, too."

"Yeah," Alex said, smiling at her.

Tabitha couldn't help but smiled too. With her brother, Alex, and Adeem, why would Tabitha ever need Luther again? She wouldn't. Even in the this day that was meant for her to feel only pain, Tabitha couldn't help, but to laugh along with Alex at nothing, just like normal girls. Not like the ones they were. Because, in the end, what stops them from being the new normal?

* * *

"I bet I could out quote you on this."

It was an odd enough challenge for an odd enough day. I glanced at Gasman with curiosity in my eyes. We were the only ones in the kitchen. I was drinking coffee, him eating cookies. Aw, the ways we meet.

"Alright," I said. "You first."

"_A fear of the unknown keeps a lot of people from leaving bad situations_, Kathie Lee Gifford," he said.

"Oh, that one was easy," I said, giving him a small smile.

"Fine. Beat it."

"_Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness_, Harold Kushner," I said. "Think you can pull a Hot Wheels?"

"Oh I could beat that in my sleep," he said. "_Don't be dismayed at goodbyes, a farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends, Richard Bach._

I snorted. "Well…_"Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave."_

"Who said that?"

"Winnie the Pooh."

Gasman made a face at me. "You know the one person who beats Winnie the Pooh?"

"Who?"

_"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."_

"Gasman, in no ways does Dr. Seuss beat Pooh."

"In everyway he does!"

For once, it wasn't Tyler that made me smile, but Gasman. I think sometimes I don't give the boy enough credit.


	26. Chapter 26

Living

Chapter 26

"-happy birthday, dear Lucas, happy birthday to me!"

It has so much less meaning when he's the one singing it. I groaned.

"Lucas, please stop," I said. "I'm begging you."

He giggled. "I'm four, Mommy."

"Yep," I said, smiling at him. "Are you my big boy?"

"Yes!"

James walked into the living room. "Par-ee?"

"Soon," I told him. "Bone'll be here, Victoria will, Cameron, Damien, Dr. Martinez, and even Iggy. You love Iggy, James?"

"Yes!" James nodded his head frantically. Iggy was already in town for Christmas. Nudge couldn't get off work, so it would only be Drake and Amber here. Iggy was staying with Mom while Drake and Amber stayed here.

Cody, who was on the floor playing with toy cars, looked up at his friend. "Hi!"

"Hi," James said back, getting onto the floor with him. Amber giggled, seeing James. I think that Amber was warming up to the two boys, slowly but surely.

"Max, have you seen my drumsticks?" Tyler asked, coming into the room.

"You mean my drumsticks?" Tabitha asked. She was sitting in the chair, reading. "I have them in my room."

Alex, who was sitting on the floor, playing with Cody, looked up at Tyler. "How come you need them, Ty?"

"I just do, alright?"

"Someone's cranky," Tabitha said, not looking up from her book.

"I am not!"

I stroked my stomach, wishing that I didn't feel so bad. "Ty, stop, okay? My stomach's upset."

"It's not my fault that you're having a baby," he said.

"Tyler!" Fang came down the stairs. "You want to repeat that?"

"No."

"You don't talk back, you hear me?"

He nodded a little, but was looking at me for sympathy. I gave him a little. "Fang, stop yelling, okay?"

Coming over to me, Fang gave me a kiss on the head. "You want to take a nap?"

"No," I said, pushing him back a little. "Jason is killing me today."

Fang gave me a small smile. "Pretty soon and you won't have to worry about him upsetting your stomach."

"How many babies are you gonna have?" Tyler asked, clearly irritable.

"As many as we want," Fang said, giving me a kiss again.

"What's your problem, Tyler?" I asked him.

"I just want my drumsticks!"

Tabitha smugly said, "You mean my drumsticks?"

"It's not fair!"

Fang grabbed Tyler's hand. "Come on, Tyler. Let's go talk."

"No," he whined as Fang led him upstairs. We had let the kids stay up all night last night, as tonight was their first night of winter break. He was probably just cranky from that.

About ten minutes later, Damien and Cameron showed up.

"Hey, Max," Cameron said, sitting down next to me on the couch. "How are you today?"

"Not so great," I said. "You?"

"How do you think? Ever since Samantha's party, Damien's been more annoying than usual."

At the moment, Damien was talking to Samantha, explaining to her that he would love to let her play with the other kids, but Cody, James, and Amber were too old to play with. He didn't want her upset or hurt, after all. So, the only logical solution to this would be for her to just sit in his lap the whole time. Samantha seemed to make no objections to this.

"I love you," Damien went on, bouncing her in his arms. "Did you know that?"

"Ba-na."

"Yep," Damien said. "Can you say hi to Tabitha, Sam?"

She giggled, laying her blonde head against Damien's shoulder. Fang came back downstairs just long enough to realize that Damien was here. He called Damien up to the attic, saying that he had some stuff to show him. Damien took Samantha with him, explaining to her the art of climbing stairs as he went. Sometimes it's cute. Other times, it's just annoying. I wasn't sure which one today was.

"Her hair's getting long," I said to Cameron.

"Yeah, I know," Cameron said back, not looking at all happy by this. "You know what, Max?"

"What?"

"I really hate it."

"Samantha?"

"No," Cameron said. "That's not to say that I love her or anything, though. I meant that I hate her hair."

"Maybe it'll get darker. Some babies' hair does that, you know."

"Yeah, I know," she said. "Where's Neo?"

"With his daddy. They went to go get Lucas's cake.

"I get a cake because it's my birthday!" Lucas announced to us, as if we had somehow forgotten in the past ten minutes. As if.

"Lucas, you sure seem excited," Cameron told him, smiling a little. Biggest understatement of the year.

"I am because it's my birthday!"

I wanted Fang to be down here, so that I could lean against him. I was seriously tired. Seeming the feel my pain, James got up and came over to me, raising his arms above his head. Cameron picked him up for me.

"No," he complained. "Wan' Max."

"I know, but Max doesn't feel good," Cameron said, giving her nephew a kiss on the head. "Hey, James, you want to spend the night at my house for Christmas Eve? You can go see your grandma if you do."

"No," he yelled, not at all happy by this. "Max!"

"Stop it," I said, running a hand down his face. "Don't cry, baby. It's Lucas's birthday."

"It's my birthday!" Lucas restated.

James laid his head against Cameron, tears still streaming down his face. There was a knock on the door. Lucas rushed to answer it.

"Happy birthday, me," he answered. "Hi, Bone."

Bone picked up and held the boy above his head. "I love you, Lucas. You know that, huh? I love you so much."

"Art, you're getting creepy," Victoria said, walking in. Bone gave Lucas a kissed on the head.

"I'm four," Lucas said as Bone sat him back down. "Know that?"

"Yes," Bone said, ruffling his hair. As Lucas was fixing his hair, Bone turned his attention to me. "Hurt?"

"No," I lied to him. I didn't want to whine too much. That seemed weak. "Who's at the store?"

"Slice- I mean Keith," he said.

I nodded my head a little. "What got him to agree to that?"

"I just asked," Bone said, shrugged. "Are you tired?"

Another lie. "No."

"Sure?"

"Yeah, Bone, I'm sure."

He nodded his head a little. "Tell me if you are."

"Of course," I said, making a face at him. "Hey, Victoria, have you decided on a date yet?"

"No," she said, sighing. "I really want to have the wedding in-"

"I told you that we're having it here," Bone said, frowning at her.

"Max, he says that we can't have it in Pennsylvania unless you agree to come," she said. "Please say that you'll come if we have it there."

"Of course," I said, smiling at her. "Bone, if she wants it there, you need to have it there. It's Victoria's wedding, not yours."

"Can I be your favorite man?" Lucas asked.

"Best man? No," Bone said, picking him up again. "You wanna be the ring bearer?"

Lucas considered this. "Guess so."

"Alright," Bone said. "Do you think that we should have the wedding in Pennsylvania?"

Lucas scratched his chin thoughtfully. "If you get a fish."

Bone smiled. "If you want, sure."

The doorbell rang.

"I got it," Bone said, going to open the door.

"Hi, Lucas," said a little boy. "Happy birthday!"

Lucas pushed his way out of Bone's arms and landed on the ground. "Hi, Danny."

Bone looked at me. "You let him invite friends?"

"Not that I know of."

Lucas led his friend into the house. Danny was one of the boys that he had play dates with sometimes.

"Don't forget me, Lucas!" A dark haired girl walked in, a woman behind her.

He frowned. "I didn't say you could come, Ari."

Danny just smiled. "Ari has to come. She's my sister!"

Ari…oh God. The woman's eyes found mine. I knew her. She was Danny's mom. I had met her once when I dropped Lucas off at Danny's house.

"Hi, Janice," I said, starting to get up.

"Oh, no, you don't have to get up," she said, shaking her head. "I just wanted to walk them to the door."

I talked to her for a minute, before she left.

* * *

"Who's Ari?" Drake asked Lucas.

"Danny's stepsister," he said. "They're in my class."

"Do you like her?"

"No! I hate her," Lucas said. He and Drake were in the living room, after the party. Mommy was in bed and Dad was in the attic, so Lucas decided to play Mario Kart with Drake and Gasman. "She's one of the ones that chases me."

"Is she?" Gasman asked as Mario got into first. Of course he was Mario. Gasman had a complex about having to be the main character of the game. He also had to be player 1, but that's not important.

"Yes," Lucas said. He was just driving in circles, not too concerned with the game at all.

"Isn't Ari the name of that guy you used to know?" Drake asked. "Nudge mentioned him before…a pencil or something?"

"Eraser," Gasman said. "Yeah. It was Max's half-brother."

Lucas giggled as he fell of the course. "Mommy says that I'm the best Mario Kart player in the world."

"That's because Max sucks at this game," Gazzy said.

"Hi," James yelled, walking into the room. "Par-ee?"

"The party's over," Drake said. "Everyone went home."

James frowned, getting onto the couch with Drake. "Cody nap. Shhh. Him seepy."

"Is he?" Drake asked. "Is Amber asleep too?"

"Yep," James said, smiling at Drake. "You Amber daddy?"

"Uh-huh."

"Me daddy no home," James said. "It okay. Max 'ere!"

"Yeah," Drake said, staring intently at the game.

Lucas sat down his control. "I'm done! I want more cake."

"Go get some," Gasman said.

"Uh, are you sure that Max'll let him have more?" Drake asked.

"You want to wake her up and ask?"

Drake sighed. "Fine. Go get some, Lucas. Be careful though."

James followed the new four year old into the room. "Cake fo' me?"

Lucas climbed onto the counter. "Sure."

"What are you doing?"

Looking up, Lucas and James saw Fang come into the room.

"Getting cake, Dad," Lucas said.

"No," Fang said, going to pick him up and set him on the ground. "God, Lucas. Just behave for once."

"Drake and Gasman said I could!"

"And? I'm your dad. I give all final rulings."

James held his hands above his head. "Up?"

Fang picked him up. "How are you, James?"

"Wan' more par-ee."

Fang laughed a little. "That reminds me. Lucas, why did you think that you had permeation to invite that girl over here?"

"I didn't invite Ari! I invited Danny," Lucas said. "I hate Ari. She's mean to me."

"Mean how?" Fang asked. "Does she hurt you?"

"Yes."

'How? Does she hit you?" Fang asked, worried. It was bad enough that Cody could be gay. All Fang needed was for Lucas to be getting beat up by girls.

"No," Lucas said, making a face at his father. "She chases me. 'course, I out runs her. I'm the fastest person in the world!"

James giggled, laying his head on Fang's shoulder. "Cody seep. Amber seep. Max seep."

"Yeah, I know," Fang said, setting James down on the ground. He went and cut the boys another piece of cake. "Last piece, alright?"

They both nodded before running off.

* * *

"Is that a common name?"

Fang shook his head. "Not that I know of, no."

"Why couldn't she be named something besides that? Ari? Really?" I laid my head down on Fang's shoulder.

"Lucas hates her," Fang said. "She chases him."

I ran a hand down my stomach. "That's normal, isn't it?"

"I don't know. Tabitha's never chased someone."

"Because she's always been friends with the guy that she likes."

"No one ever chased Tyler."

"…That's pretty self-explanatory, Fang."

He laughed, pulling me to him. "I think that Lucas had a good birthday."

"So do I," I said, closing my eyes. "Cameron and Damien were fighting when they left."

"About what?"

"You know Cameron. She kept commenting on him today," I said, shrugging a little. "You know her."

"I don't know how he stays with her."

"Hmmm?"

"She was annoying before…all this. Now she's just made it to where I hate being around her."

"Fang, you have no idea what's gone one with her these past two years. None at all."

"Yeah, but-"

"Fang, do you know what it's like to get raped?"

"Do you?"

Good point. "No, thank God. Then she lost Tommy and her brother. Fang, that's hell. She's having to take care of a kid that reminds her of all the shit that's happened. We cannot _ever _understand."

"Max, I get that. I really do," Fang said. "But she's…she's just plain mean, Max. She always has been. If you don't do what she wants, you get on her list and then you're screwed."

"So what?" I opened my eyes to look at him. "Fang, she's just messed up. Her mother and father jumbled her mind as a kid and now all this stuff is doing the same thing. I think that Damien's more of a man than you for staying with her."

"What?"

"Yeah," I said. "Cameron's only one of two women that he's slept with. He's never cheated on her."

Fang pushed me away. "Max, I thought that we were passed that."

I closed my eyes. "We? We? You never had anything to get over, Fang. I did."

"Max, what do you want me to do? Huh?"

My stomach was churning. "I want you to go back and be what you were before. I want you to go back and never let Tabitha find your phone. I want to never know about her! I want us to be us again."

"Yeah, well guess what," Fang said. "I can't do any of that. Once you give me some realistic things, then we'll talk, alright?"

I wanted to hit him, but I didn't. "I wish that you weren't my husband."

Fang got out of bed. "Yeah, well that's easily fixable, Max."

"It is, isn't it?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, Max, if I could go back and fix things, I could. But I can't. And you don't need to be stressing so much. It's not good for you or the baby."

"Don't tell me what do, Fang Shadows."

"Max, all I'm trying to say is-"

"Ciss-mas?" James and Cody walked into the room.

"No," Fang said flatly. "Go get back in bed. That's not for a few more days."

"Comed all way 'own 'ere, Daddy," Cody said, coming to get in bed with me, James following. "Ni-ni, Mommy."

James giggled, cuddling into Fang's spot. "Goo' night."

Fang sighed. "I work graveyard tonight anyways."

For the next hour, I listened to my two babies snore and my husband getting ready for work.

"Are we okay?" He asked as he put on his shoes. "I won't leave if we're not."

"We're fine," I said, staring at the two boys. "Go. I'll see you later."

"I love you, Max," he said, going to kiss my head. "I wasn't being for real, about…you know. The stuff I said."

"I know," I told him, leaning up to kiss his lips. No matter what happens, nothing will ever beat the feeling of them on mine. "Trust me, I know."

* * *

Alex pushed Tyler a little bit. "Move. You take up too much room."

"I do not,' he said. "You're the one that's too big. I'm short."

"And fat."

"No!"

"Alex can sleep with me," Lucas offered from his bed.

"No," the other two said in unison.

"Thank you for my fire truck," Lucas told Alex.

"You're welcome, Lucas," she said, smiling. Tyler never thanked her for things. "Ty, your foot is touching mine."

"How do you know that it's not the other way around?" He closed his eyes. "Maybe your foot is the one that's touching mine."

"I just know, okay?"

Tyler shook his head. "I don't think that you do."

Alex sighed. "Ty, maybe we shouldn't sleep in the same bed no more."

"What do you mean?" He asked. "'course we should. We always have."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts," he said, holding in the giggle. He said butts…

* * *

James was crying. Loudly.

"I wan' Max!" He wailed as his grandmother tried to calm him down. It was Christmas Eve and he was supposed to stay with them for the holiday. No one had apparently explained that to James.

"Maybe you should spank him," Tyler suggested. He was over at Dan's, reading the bible with his mentor.

"Tyler," Trinity said, making a face at him. "James is just upset."

"I agree with the boy. Spank him," Dan said.

"He's two."

"I spanked Damien at two."

"You sure didn't when I was around."

He grunted. This was true. "Keep going, Tyler."

They were reading about the night Christ was born. Tyler was excited. He had heard the story in bits and pieces, but he had never heard the whole thing.

"Max!" James wiggled in Trinity's arms. Fang had dropped him and Tyler off an hour ago and he still wasn't back. Didn't Max miss him? Why hadn't she come to get him yet? Wasn't he her baby?

"Dan, maybe we should let him have Christmas with Max and Fang," Trinity said as the toddler's cries turned to soft moans.

"Sure, why not? I don't want him here anyways," Dan said.

"Really? He's our grandson."

"I don't much like my real so, Trinity."

'Well, he and Cameron will be here for Christmas."

"Why?" Dan asked. Tyler sighed, stopping his reading. "Trinity, we have never had one holiday to ourselves. I want to be alone with you."

Trinity stared hard at him. "You never have before."

He gave her a small smile. "That just makes it all the better when we are alone, don't it?"

Tyler was tired of their cryptic speech. "Can I finish the story or not?"

"Yeah, boy," Dan said, the gruffness back in his voice. "Keep going."

* * *

"That was my mom," Damien said, hanging up the phone. "Her and my dad want to be alone this year. God, Cameron, maybe they are having problems!"

She sighed. Why did this stuff always fall on her shoulders? "Alone, Damien. Think about what we do when we're alone?"

"Clean?"

"No," she said, clicking her tongue. "They're going to fuck."

"Ew! Cameron!"

She looked down at her daughter, who was playing with toys on the bed. "Damien, it's getting late. Let's go to bed."

"Not until you apologize."

"What? It's not my fault that you're parents are going to have sex."

He blushed deeply. "I meant saying…that word."

"Sex?"

"No, the bad word."

"Fuck?"

"Stop it!"

She sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry."

He got into bed, taking Peter with him. "Just don't say words like that, okay? I don't like them. Sam shouldn't hear them either."

"Whatever," Cameron said. "You're just embarrassed that your parents are going to have sex."

"Stop saying that."

"Damien, they are married."

"Still," he said, pulling the covers around all of them. Samantha giggled, moving closer to her mother.

"Mama."

"Shush if you're going to sleep in here," Cameron told the baby.

Damien leaned over the cat and one year old to kiss his wife's head. "Merry Christmas, Cammie."

"That's not till tomorrow."

He just smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Damien looked down at his baby. "And I love you, baby girl. Huh? Do you love Daddy?"

Giving his daughter kisses was the best part of Damien's day. As the man did that, his cat moved closer to Cameron.

"What's wrong, Peter?" She ran a hand down him back. "Not feeling very Christmassy? Don't worry, I'm not either."

Damien laid the baby back down. "Cameron?"

"Hmmm?"

"Night."

She sighed, snuggling under the covers. "Good night, Superman."

For the first time in a long time, Damien fell asleep happy.

* * *

When Fang came back with Tyler, he also came back with James.

"What?" I asked as James ran to me.

"They said that he was crying too much," Fang said, shrugging.

"Were you crying?" I looked down at him. "I thought that you wanted to be with Grandma?"

"Up?" He held his hands in his air.

I picked him up and gave him a kiss. "I love you, James."

He giggled. "Love."

"Now you need to go to bed," I said, starting to go up the stairs. Fang stopped me.

"I've got him," Fang said, taking the boy. "Say goodnight, James."

"Ni-ni," James said, smiling a little. He was sleepy.

"I'll see you in the morning," I told him. After Fang had put him in bed, he came back down and we ate Santa's cookies. "Now are you ready to go to bed?"

Fang nodded. "I think Drake wants to the couch anyways."

"Where is he?" I asked as Fang got up.

"In Gasman's room. They're talking or something."

When we got to the bedroom, Fang went to brush his teeth before getting into bed with me. "How's Jason?"

"He's been kicking all day."

Fang leaned down and gave my stomach a kiss. "It'll all be worth it soon, Max."

"I know," I said, closing my eyes.

* * *

"Bone?"

He rolled onto his side. "Sleep."

"It's time to get up," Victoria said. "See? I even called you Bone."

He groaned. "Sleep."

"No. I told you that you had to get up early today," she said, pushing his shoulder. "Come on. My parents and sister have been up since seven."

"Time?"

"Nine," she said.

"Wake at twelve."

"No, Artemis," she said. "Now."

"Why?"

"There's food."

"Not hungry."

She was silent for a moment. "If you loved me, you'd get up and come eat."

He frowned. "No."

"You don't love me?"

Groaning, he got out of bed. "Lucky."

"Hmmm?"

"You're lucky that I love you."

She smiled, leaning up to kiss him. "Don't I know it?"

* * *

Damien woke up before his girls did. Quietly, he left the room to get Cameron and Samantha's gifts. He laid one Cameron's gift down by her head. Samantha had most of her gifts at his parents, but Damien had kept two of them at home. He laid down two gifts next to his daughter.

Samantha opened her eyes a little. She made a noise, starting to sit up. "Mama."

"Shut up," Cameron mumbled in her sleep.

"Cammie, get up," Damien said, trying not to be mad that she told his baby to shut up. "Come on."

She opened her eyes a little. "What, Damien?"

"It's Christmas," he said.

"Great," she said. Then she noticed the present next to her head. "Damien-"

"Just open it," he said as Samantha began banging her hand against her two presents. He got into bed to help her.

Cameron opened the present to find a box. She looked at it before opening it. "Why did you get me this? What are they? CD's?"

Damien nodded. "They're DVD's."

"Of what, Damien?" She was losing her patience.

"Of you."

"What?"

He sighed. "I talked to Paul and he talked to your father. They're home videos. I had Paul take the VHS's and move the onto DVD's."

"No," she said, pushing them away. "I don't want them."

"Cameron, come on. I figured that we could watch them together."

"Damien, have you watched any of these?" She asked, taking the bow from Samantha's hand from her hand. She had gotten it off her present. Why wouldn't Mommy let her eat it?

"No. I just told you. I figured that we could together."

"Take them away," Cameron said, getting out of bed.

"Cameron-"

"No!" She slammed the bathroom door behind her.

"Mama," Samantha called, looking at the door. She needed that bow back.

Damien felt like crying. He had just do something really nice. Why was Cameron being mean? Trying to keep himself from crying, he started to open Sam's presents with her.

From the bathroom, Cameron heard Damien do this.

"And this, this is a new," he stopped for a second, sounding like he was sobbing. Through a chocked up voice, he said, "A new stuffed animal. Do you know what this is? A tiger."

Cameron leaned her back against the bathroom door, hanging her head between her knees. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Damien droned on. "I just…Why, Sam? What have we ever done? I love Cameron with my life, and I know that you think that she's the best thing ever. How can she feel nothing for us? I love her, but…"

He began to cry loudly. For a second, Cameron felt resent. What a child, crying over nothing. Then she realized that he probably had been holding in for awhile.

She heard Damien sniffled loudly, making Samantha giggle, though it was clear that him being upset made her upset. The sound of her husband dialing a number on his cell made Cameron sigh. Who was he calling? It was Christmas!

"Hey, Tammie," she heard him say, his voice shaky. "I figured that you wouldn't answer…I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you, Tammie. I really do. Merry Christmas. James loves you, and so does everyone else. I love you…bye."

It was silent for awhile. Then the sound of him getting out of bed could be heard. "Let's wait to open your other present, Sammy. Daddy needs to go take a drive. Come on, you can bring Mr. Tiger."

What a stupid name, Cameron though, shaking her head. Was he even going to tell her good by? She waited until she heard the front door shut before she realized that he wasn't. Slowly, she stood and opened the bathroom door. For a moment, she just stood there. Then she went over to her 'gift'.

Why would Paul let him do this? Was it some sort of a sick joke because she didn't go see him? It had to be. With a groan, she picked up the top DVD and put it in the DVD player in her room.

"What are you doing?"

"Video taping her."

Her father's voice, so young and happy, was haunting. A kid version of her brother came into the shot. She smiled through her pain, seeing her brother like that. He was so cute.

"Why?" Paul asked. "You never tape me!"

"Stop it," her father said. "Tomorrow, you're gonna be gone for awhile, Paul."

"How come you can't live with me and Mommy? Cameron can come too. I don't care."

"It just doesn't work that way, buddy," he said, sighing.

Cameron's three year old self, mad that he had interrupted her, picked up her toy and threw it at her brother. "No! Go 'way!"

"Never mind," Paul said. "She can't come."

Her father laughed at this. His laugh was too much. She turned it off.

* * *

"Jingle bells, Tyler smells-"

"Hey!"

"-Tabby is so mean," Lucas continued. "Oh what fun it is to hide from Mommy when she's mad."

After about the eightieth version of Jingle Bells with us inserted in it, even Fang was tired of it.

"Lucas, shut up," Fang groaned.

James giggled. "Lucas is Beaver!"

"Bieber," Tabitha said, rolling her eyes.

Fang frowned. "That's not another Muslim boy, is it?"

I sighed, laying my head on his shoulder. "Thank you for my earrings, Fang. They're beautiful."

"Your welcome," he said, smiling a little.

"Are you happy?" Drake asked. He wasn't interested in any of us, really. He had Gasman's laptop and was on Skype with Nudge, Amber sitting in his lap. "Tell Mommy how happy you are."

"'appy," she said, giggling as she leaned against him. I didn't understand why Drake came to see us instead of go to his parents home or at least stay with Nudge, but he has offered up no explanation.

"I want to see Alex," Tyler complained.

"Shut up," Tabitha said, not feeling any for of compassion for her twin. "At least you can give her a Christmas present."

"Not my fault that you and your boyfriend are going to Hell," Tyler said.

"Hey!" I would have hit him in the head if I was on the couch and too big to move. "Fang, do something."

"What? He's right," Fang said.

"He is not allowed to say things like that."

"Max-"

"Well, if you don't care about me, fine," I said, glad for the tears for once. Fang easily gave in and sent Tyler to his room. With his new toys, I might add, but I said nothing.

Gasman sighed. "This sucked."

"It gets better," Fang told him. "Look at Drake and Amber. Neo's just too young to get excited."

The baby looked up at the sound of his name. "Ah!"

Cody rolled onto his back, holding his new toy above him. James climbed into Fang's lap.

"Hi," he said, leaning against him. "Love you."

"I love you too," Fang said, giving the boy a kiss on the head. This Christmas wasn't flashy, Tyler and Tabitha were both in bad moods, Nudge wasn't here, and Lucas sang Jingle Bells a million times, but I think this one is the best of them all. I know that when I look back on my life, it won't stand out and it won't really matter, but at the moment, there's no place I'd rather be.

* * *

**January**

It was the kids second day back to school since break when it happened. I was still a week out, but you know me. I just can't have a kid on time. That was two days ago, though. Right now was Jason's first day home.

"Can I touch him?" Lucas whispered. Fang frowned.

"No," he said. "Get out of here. Go play."

Jason made a noise before settling back down. I was laying down in bed, Fang sitting on the edge, Jason in his arms.

"I wanna hold 'em though," Lucas said. "I'mma brag to Ari and Danny 'bout it."

"Lucas, go away," I said. "We're tired."

"You just like Jason better."

"That's right."

"Fang."

He sighed. "Lucas, we just want to be alone, okay? Please?"

"Fine," he said, defeated. Apparently he closed the door too loudly, because Jason started crying.

"Hey, now," Fang mumbled, rocking him. I sat up.

"You want me to take him?"

"No," Fang said, staring down at the baby. In about a minute, he was quiet again. Fang smiled again. "He looks like me."

"Yep," I lied. Fang thought all his kids looked like him. I guess it's a pride thing or something. The only one he says that doesn't' look like him is Lucas, and that's because it's painfully obvious who he does look like.

"No Jeb in this one," Fang mumbled, getting up. He put the baby in his crib. "I'm going to check on Lucas, make sure that I didn't hurt his feelings."

"Go," I said. "I'm tired anyways."

* * *

Things were…tense to say the least. There was no cuddling, no 'I love yous'. Damien didn't even leave Samantha at home with her. He just took her to work with him, not saying a word about it. She had hurt him and she didn't know how to fix it.

"One of us should get the door," Damien said when the doorbell rang.

She sighed, getting up to do it. When did he become the lazy one? Samantha called after her, but Cameron didn't turn around.

"Hello?" She answered, opening the door. Her breath caught. "Jack."

He gave her a small smile. "Can I get a hug?"

Cameron pulled him to her tightly, not able to accept that she would have to let him go. "Jack…you bastard!"

"Huh?"

She pushed him away. "You didn't come to either of their…funerals."

The older man sighed, looking down. "I couldn't, Cameron."

"Yeah, you and my father both," she said. "I'm starting to think that you guys wouldn't even show up for mine!"

"Why would you father-"

"If you think that you have something to do with me, why wouldn't my father feel the same about Trent?"

"Because I love you," Jack said, walking into the house. "You're my daughter."

"I'm no ones daughter. Both my fathers and my mother are dead to me."

"Why are you always so dramatic?"

If this was a comedy, this would be the part where the canned laughter comes in. It was the exact same thing her real father told her. Cameron looked away from him, not willing to stare into his face.

"Cammie? Who is it?"

He hadn't called her Cammie since Christmas… "No one, D-"

"Who's this?" Jack looked hard at Damien.

Out of all the times Cameron just wanted Damien to speak and he wouldn't, this was the rare time she wanted him to shut up and he just had to speak.

"I'm her husband," Damien said, walking over to Cameron's side. Samantha, who was in his arms, started crying. To a baby, Jack was a horribly scary man. Even Damien was afraid, to be perfectly honest. "Sam, stop it."

Jack made a face, looking at the baby. "This that rape kid?"

Cameron never had felt strong emotions for Samantha. The time that her real father commented on her, she had gotten upset, but not this upset. Upset enough to slap him.

"Cameron!" Damien was afraid. Cameron didn't even blink.

"Don't you ever call my child that, ever."

Jack took it like a man, just staring hard at her. "Fine. I'll go ahead and assume that it-"

"She."

"That she is," he corrected, his cheek still slightly red.

"Mama!" Samantha was scared. Why were they all so loud? She held tightly to Damien.

Cameron wasn't sympathetic towards the child in the slightest. "Is there anything else that you wanted, Jack?"

The disdain in her voice was bittersweet for Damien. He was used to her iciness. It was the closest to snow he had seen in a year and it was like a blizzard. Not the kind with your girlfriend in a cabin either. After what Jack had said about his baby though, he felt like deserved it.

He sighed. "I wanted to see you, Cameron. I missed you, you know."

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"You know, the best time to show me how much you missed me is when I got back from being _rape,_ Jack. Tortured, raped, treated like a bitch."

"Please, stop, Cameron," Jack pleaded.

She didn't. "How about when I found out that the kid that I love, your _grandson_ had been taken from me. Not by some freak accident, oh no. By my fucking brother! Your son. I love Tommy and the person that you raised took him from me."

"What do you want me to do, Cameron?"

"Try being there for me for once!"

It was silent for a second. Samantha had found solace in sucking her thumb, seeing as her mother and father weren't going to take care of her.

"Cameron-"

"No, Jack. Not this time," she said. "Leave."

"No."

She moved closer to Damien. For a second, her hand lingered on his shoulder. Then she took his baby from him and started for the stairs.

"Make him leave, Damien."

With that, she was gone.

Damien looked upon Jack with interest. "Look, I don't think that you're a bad guy, I really don't, but could you just leave."

Jack seemed to be ignoring him.

"You can call her in a few days," Damien tried. "That's what I do when she- Oh God."

Jack had put his hand on Damien's shoulder, staring hard in his eyes. "You listen to me, boy, and you listen to me good. You hurt her, and my son and grandson won't be the only funerals that I skip. Yours will be because I'm in jail for first degree murder. Understood?"

Damien nodded. "Y-Yeah."

"Let him go, Jack," Cameron's voice came down from somewhere upstairs. "If you bruise him, I'll bruise you."

Jack ignored the faceless voice. "If you're good to her, I'll leave you alone. Never bother you again. If you don't…I think we already went over that."

"Y-Yeah."

Jack squeezed his shoulder, hard, making Damien gasp in pain.

"I meant it, Jack," Cameron yelled.

With that, the man was gone. Damien locked the door before running upstairs to hide. Cameron was waiting for him.

"Are you okay?" She asked. She was leaning against Samantha's closed bedroom door.

Damien went over to her and gave her a kiss on the head. "Is Sam in her crib?"

"Yeah," Cameron said, running a hand down his chest. "Now you've met my whole family."

"Grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins?"

Cameron shook her head. "If I know any of them, I don't want to know them. I can't even deal with the family I've got, Damien."

He sighed, laying his head on his. "My shoulder hurts."

"You want me to get you some ice?"

"No," he said, shaking her head. "I just want you to be nice to me."

She sighed. "I'm sorry that I didn't like your gift, Damien. It's just…I would have never tried and given you a picture of your grandfather or something. What you did was caring, but not something that was a good idea. I love you, and I love that you think like that, but just don't, okay?"

"Okay," he said, kissing her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just don't do it again."

He nodded. Alright. Hey, Cameron? You never gave me my gift."

She smiled a little, moving away from him. "Mine's kind of a thoughtful gift too."

"More wrestling tickets?" He asked, excited.

"No," she said. "Something more…I don't know, more to you liking."

"What do I like more than wrestling?"

"When's the last time that you went out to the shed?" Cameron asked.

"What? I never go out there."

"You sure will now."

"Why? Are my tickets there?"

"I didn't get you tickets," she said, going into the bedroom. "Go look in the shed."

Damien was gone for ten minutes, at least. When he got back, Cameron was watching TV, trying to forget that Jack had just showed his ugly face.

"I love you!"

She looked up. "Shhh, the baby is-"

Damien took a running start and jumped, landing on the bed. He pulled her to him. "God, I love you."

"You almost landed on Peter," she halfheartedly complained.

"Is it mine?"

"The shed? Well, we do both own the house, stupid."

"Cameron."

"So you like it?" She asked. "I tried to make it look as cool as possible. I wasn't sure that it really looked like an art studio though."

"It's perfect," he said, holding her tightly to him. "Everything is perfect."

"Good," she said. "I was hoping that your first mission would be to paint Samantha's bedroom."

"You said that I couldn't."

"Yeah, well, you know that I'm not that good at making the right choice the first time."

He snuggled her against him. "I love you."

Ignoring him, she went on. "I also want you to know that I'm going back to work. While you've been leaving me home alone, I've been looking."

"Whatever you want, baby," he said, kissing her head. "Whatever."


	27. Chapter 27

Living

Chapter 27

**March**

"I do," Victoria said.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Bone kissed her quickly, hating being the center of attention. As the crowd cheered, he turned, looking down at Lucas. He saw Victoria frown but he didn't care.

"What's wrong with you?" Bone asked, lifting the four year old with one arm.

"I gots to go potty," Lucas said, wiggling.

Bone took Victoria's arm with the arm that wasn't holding Lucas, and led her down the aisle.

"What are you doing?" Victoria whispered hissed to him, keeping a fake smile pasted on her face.

"He has to go to the bathroom," Bone said as they walked out of the church. He let go of her. "I'll be back. Come on, Luke, you don't want to ruin your tux."

* * *

Victoria was beautiful…for a fat person. Is that mean? God, I feel like Fang and gays. Anyways, Lucas got to be ring bearer so that was one more kid that we didn't have to worry about. Fang and Damien were two of Bone's groomsmen, which meant it was only me, Cameron, and Tammie controlling the kids. Yes, Tammie was back, just to come to Bone's wedding.

The kids were pretty well behaved. I thought that Jason would get whiny and I'd have to leave, but he didn't. The one that was bad was Samantha. She saw her daddy up there and couldn't understand why she wasn't allowed to be with him. Then, once realizing that he was just going to stay up there, she wanted Cameron to hold her. She had been in Tammie's lap, and had to be moved to mine to get her to settle.

Right now, we were at the reception. Victoria's family out numbered us greatly. It was basically a corner of us and the rest of the place filled with them. Bone was hiding with us. Slice, or Keith, wasn't for that.

"Bone, your wedding is the best part of your time," Slice went on. God, I like him better dark and evil.

James licked his fingers slowly. "Like cake, Bone. 'ank you."

Tammie frowned, looking down at her son who was perched in her lap. "You're so polite, James."

He smiled. "Nice be importan', more 'portan' be nice."

I smiled a little. "Good job, James. You remember that?"

He nodded, grabbing more cake. Jason opened his mouth, making a yawning noise. Fang, who was holding him, gave the baby a kiss.

"Dada," Samantha said, reaching up. Damien smiled. She had learned to say that a few days ago and it was still new to him.

"I love you," he said, taking her from Cameron, which seemed to be a relief to her.

"Bone, how come you're the only one that's had a weddin'?" Lucas asked, staring up at him.

Bone, who was standing behind my chair, lifted him up and sat him on his shoulders. "Don't know."

Lucas giggled, laying his head on top of Bone's. "So, about my fish-"

"Art, there you are," Victoria said, walking up. She looked mad at him, which was understandable. "What are you doing?"

"Playing with Lucas."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, you need to come with me."

"Do I have to?"

"Artemis."

He slowly sat Lucas on the ground before following her.

"Someone's a bitch," Cameron mumbled to me.

"Look at the cattle calling the pot black," Tammie said.

"Sorry, you're the only black thing here."

"You know what, you little-"

"Stop," Damien said, sighing, "Come on, please stop."

Samantha giggled, shaking her head back and forth. "Na-ma."

"I like pizza," Tyler said. "Let's go get pizza, Max."

"Tyler, shush," I said, though I was with him.

* * *

"What's there to do in Pennsylvania?"

Damien shrugged. "I don't know. I can't go anywhere, Fang. Cameron will get mad."

"I'm right here, you know," Cameron said from the bed. Damien was at the hotel room door, talking to Fang.

"Hi, Cameron," Fang called.

"Yeah, hi," she said, looking back at the TV. Samantha, unhappy with her father being so far away, began to whine.

"Max told me that I could do whatever, but she was giving me the look," Fang said.

"Look?"

"The one that she gives me now when I say I'm going to a Heroclix tournament."

"You don't come to those anymore."

"I know," he said. "You couldn't leave the house if you saw it. It's horrible."

"Dada!" Samantha crawled to the edge of the bed, but Cameron pulled her back.

"Damien, either leave or stay."

"Can I go?"

"No."

Fang sighed. "I'll see you later then, Damien."

"Bye," he said, closing the door. "Cameron, really?"

"Well, I just don't want you hanging out with Fang in a strange city," she said as he got back into bed.

"Why not?"

"Because he's a cheater," she said.

"Cameron."

"Dada!" Samantha giggled, staring at him. She began to clap his hands as he began to shower her with kisses.

"Damien?"

"What?" He asked, pulling off his shirt. Samantha distracted her self by feeling his tattoos.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?"

They were in Pennsylvania for the next two days. Tomorrow would be Max and Fang's last day, and Bone wouldn't be back for a week, but he was already headed for Hawaii by now.

"We could take Samantha out to see things."

"Like what?"

Damien shrugged. "I don't know. There's plenty of things to see in-"

"She's one, Damien."

"Fine, Cameron, let's just stay in and do nothing."

"Alright then."

"Cammie."

* * *

We had one hotel room and eight of us. Gasman and Neo had stayed behind and home. He was running the store for us.

"You okay over there?" Fang whispered into the darkness.

"Yeah," I whispered back.

In bed with me was Tabitha, Tyler, and Cody. Fang had James, Lucas, and Jason. Jay was sleeping on his daddy's chest. He was not happy about coming, but I didn't want to leave him with Gasman and Mom was out of town. I almost left him with Trinity, but Dan's already warped on of my kids minds, no need to let him take another.

"Sorry if I made you mad," Fang said.

"About?"

"Trying to go out."

"I knew that you were either going to take Damien or not go."

"So?"

"If Damien's going, I have nothing to worry about."

Fang laughed softly in the dark. "Max?'

"Hmmm?"

"Do you still want a wedding one day? You know, renew our vows?"

"No," I said, staring at James. The beds were so small that was were all squished together. James was basically on top of me, and Tyler and Tabitha were cuddled up against each other. It was cute.

"You sure?" Fang asked. "You'd look ten times as cute as Victoria."

I shook my head. "Lucas, now he looked cute."

"Yeah, until they started saying their vows and he started wiggling around," Fang said. "I swear Victoria hates him now."

"She can't. Bone wouldn't let her."

"Yeah," Fang said, shaking his head. "You think that they'll make it?"

"Who knows? No one thought we would."

Jason made a loud noise before quieting again. Fang gave him a kiss on the head. "We did though."

"Yep."

It was silent again for a few minutes. Then Fang spoke again.

"You know, I don't care what anyone says. We're together forever."

I ran a hand down James's head. "Did you notice the looks we were getting?"

"When?"

"At the reception."

"From who?"

"Victoria's family."

"They were probably trying to figure out how we were all related," Fang offered up.

It was spring break so we were here for the next day. Tyler was upset that Alex couldn't come, but he can get over it. We had driven down here, me in the car stuck with everyone who wasn't in school, Fang with the ones who were. I'm not sure who got the bad side of that deal, but I'm going to go ahead and say Fang.

"Hey, Max?"

"What?"

"…Is Jason our last?"

I closed my eyes. "For now, I would say definitely."

"I think I want one more."

"Too bad."

* * *

It was six in the morning, Hawaii time. Bone cuddled deeper into the pillow.

"Art?"

He opened his eyes a little and grunting. Victoria cuddled against him, sighing.

"I have a secret."

"Well, you don't have a dick, so I think I can deal with anything else."

She rolled her eyes, pausing for a moment. "I'm pregnant, Artemis."

He thought for a second, trying to decode the obvious. "How far along? Do you know?"

"Four months."

"Victoria!"

"I just found out a month ago," she defended herself. "Besides, I didn't want people thinking that we were just getting married because of the baby."

He looked down at her. "Still."

"I'm sorry."

He gave her a kiss on the head. "Shhh. Honeymoon. Be happy."

"So you're not mad?"

"Mad? I'm daddy now. Daddy's don't get mad."

"You're not as shocked as I thought you would be."

He glanced down at her. "The doctor called last week."

"You've known? Why did you pretend like-"

"For the fun of it," he said. "I know that I'm going to be an awesome daddy. The baby'll love me."

"I know," she said, kissing the side of his chest. "I hope it doesn't grow up to be fat like me."

He opened his eyes again. "You'd rather have it like me?"

"Yes."

"Baby, I can't even gain weight if I tried."

"What's wrong with that?" Victoria asked.

"Everything," he said. "Besides, you're beautiful. I'm all boney."

"No."

"Vickie, yes you are," he said, turning so that he could face her. "You're cuddly. I'm…not."

She shook her head. "I'm _gorda_."

"Hmmm?"

"Fat."

"Spanish?" He smiled. "You should teach me Spanish."

"You have a hard enough time with English."

"Tyler knows a lot of Spanish," Bone offered.

"Tyler…the angry one. Yeah, well, he's girlfriend speaks it, right?"

"That's not his girlfriend," Bone told her, giving her a kiss on the head. "Let's not talk anymore about them. It's our honeymoon. I want to focus on you."

She smiled as he ran his hands down her body. For awhile, she was able to forget how nasty she had to look to him. It was nice. Then, after it was over, she remembered how she had to really look, all hot and sweaty. In comparison to his perfect, flawless body, how could she even compare? Some times she wondered why she even tried.

* * *

**June**

Tabitha and Adeem are out back, playing with Tank. Yes, she was allowed to bring him over here. As long as Fang was home and watching them intently. Honestly, what exactly are two eight year olds going to do? I would be more afraid that Tyler and Alex would get too comfortable around each other in a few years that Tabitha and Adeem.

There was one good thing I got out of this. Fang was washing the dishes. Because I refused to let him be out there with him, he was standing at the kitchen sink, watching through the window. Creepy, but I can deal with it.

"I'm almost three!" Cody yelled as he walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah," James said, following behind him. "Par-ee!"

Jason, who was in my arms, started to whine. He didn't like loud people. I guess that means that he doesn't like living here period.

"Yep," I said, smiling at them while trying to calm Jason. He was inconsolable.

James and Cody went to the back door.

"Where are you going?" I asked them.

"Pay wid Tabby," James said as Cody opened the door. Cody was taller than James and had taken over doing all the dirty work. James, however, seemed to always be the mastermind behind whatever they were doing. Cody probably wanted to go take a nap right now.

"N-"

"Let them, Max," Fang said, still looking out the window. "That'll teach her to invite him over."

* * *

"I wish I had a dog," Adeem said, picking up the ball and throwing it again. Tank ran after it.

"No. They smell bad."

"I like his smell."

"Yeah, well-"

"Hi, Tabby!" James and Cody called out in unison.

"What're their names again?"

"James and Cody," Tabitha said, frowning. "What do you want?"

Running towards her, James said, "To pay wid you!"

"We love you," Cody said, nodding his head.

"Go away," Tabitha said, glaring at the window, where her father was watching with an amused expression. Why did he care what she and Adeem did?

"No," Cody said as Tank ran back up. He took the ball from the dog and threw it, making the dog leave again.

"It's okay if they play with us," Adeem said. "Here, James, go get the Frisbee."

He threw it and the boy ran after it. Cody frowned. "What 'bout me?"

Adeem picked up a stick and threw it. "Go get that."

Tabitha smiled at him. "Why are you nice to them?"

"Because I used to follow my brothers around. I still do when they come home," he said, shrugging. "I don't like being ignored either."

From the kitchen, Fang held down a string of curse words because Lucas had come into the room. His plan had backfired. Big time.

* * *

"I miss school."

Tyler looked at Lucas, who, after going to the kitchen to get them snacks, had come back.

"What?"

He nodded. "I like school."

"That's 'cause you're a nerd," Tyler said.

"Be nice," Alex said, laying down on his bed. Lucas handed them their cookies.

"Why is Dad looking out the window?" Lucas asked.

"To watch Tabitha and Adeem."

"Why doesn't he watch us?"

"Because we're not untrustworthy," Tyler said. "Right Alex?"

"I guess. But your dad has always been weird, though."

Tyler shrugged. "I just choose to think that we're better than Adeem and Tabitha."

Lucas jumped up onto his bed. "Tyler?"

"What?"

"You've got Bear and Wa-wa on the shelf."

"So?"

"I only got Fred."

"Your point?"

"Can I put Sasuke up there?"

"No."

"Tyler, stop," Alex said, getting up. She took Sasuke from Lucas before going to put him on the shelf. "There."

"You're lucky that I like Alex," Tyler told his brother who was smiling brightly.

"You like me?" Alex asked, laying back down.

"Duh. You're my best friend. God, you're stupid."

"You're stupid."

"Alex, can I have your cookie?" Lucas asked. "I ated all mine."

"No, Lucas, you can't," Tyler said. "You shouldn't have eaten them all."

"It's not my fault," he defended himself. Geez. You eat a few things super fast and all of a sudden you're a bad person…

* * *

Damien stared at the canvas before looking at Samantha. "What do you think, Sammy?"

"'ood," she said. He had given her some finger paints and paper. She was sitting next to his stool, painting. "Me?"

"Yours is beautiful too," Damien said. "Whatever it is."

Samantha smiled. "Mama?

"She's not home yet," Damien said. "'least I don't think."

"Mama?"

"I just said-"

"I'm right here, Damien."

He looked up and saw her in the doorway. "Oh. You are smart, Sam. Good girl."

"What are you drawing?" Cameron asked coming over to him.

"It's like a devil meets angel thing," Damien said. "And Sam is painting…I think it's a house."

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Cameron said, "Could be, I guess."

Samantha looked up at her mother. "Hi."

"Hi," Cameron said, making Damien smile. Cameron had been being nicer to Samantha. That wasn't to say that she would cuddle with her, or comfort her when she's upset, but she was at least treating her with some love.

"What do you want to do for dinner tonight?" Cameron asked, running her hands down his chest.

"I don't know. We could go out."

"I don't really want to," she said. "I just got off work."

"Alright," he said. "I'll make us something then."

"Good idea," she said. "You know what, though?"

"Hmmm?"

She kissed his neck. "I want you so bad right now."

Damien stiffened, in more way then one, as she ran her hands down to his waist. "C-Cameron, Samantha is right there."

She sighed, looking down. "Sam, you want to go take your nap?"

"No," Samantha said, giggling as she ran a hand down her paper. She pointed to the mark she mad. "Wed."

"Red," Cameron corrected before shaking her head. "Come on, I'll go clean you up."

"No!" Samantha kept painting. She was drawing Daddy.

"Yes," Cameron said, removing herself from her husband to pick up her daughter. She lifted Samantha up.

"No!" Samantha began to throw a tantrum.

"Cameron, just let her-"

"No," she said, walking out of the room with the screaming baby. Damien sighed, beginning to clean up. He took her painting and put it on a counter to dry. Then he looked at his own painting. He supposed that it could be finished. Cameron probably wouldn't let him do anymore on it. Being married was hard.

* * *

"Max," Tabitha called out. Adeem had just left, so I figured that she'd just go to her room. No such luck.

"I'm in here," I called out from my bathroom.

"What are you doing?"

"Cleaning the tub," I said.

"Why?"

"Your dad bathed Tank the other day."

She frowned. "I thought that he did it outside?"

"He was going to, but…what did you want, Tabitha?"

"Can Adeem come to Cody's birthday party?"

"I don't-"

"Please?"

"I was going to say that I don't see a problem with it," I told her. "Besides, Alex is always here."

"That's what I told him," she said, pointing to the doorway. Fang walked in.

"Max, he can't come," Fang began. "He just- What are you doing?"

"Cleaning the tub, since you're too inconsiderate to clean up after yourself," I said. "It's all muddy from when you bathed Tank."

He sighed. "I'll do it, baby."

"No," I said, continuing to scrub. "If you had wanted to do it, you would have earlier."

"I just want to do it because I don't want you to," he said. "Anyways, about Akeem-"

"Adeem and you know that," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever," Fang said, turning his vision to Tabitha. "Look, it's your brother's party. I don't-"

"Alex is gonna be there."

"Alex is always here."

"So?" Tabitha looked at me. "Tell him that Adeem can come, Max."

"He can come," I said, still scrubbing.

"Good." With that, Tabitha walked out of the room. Fang groaned.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because she's happy," I said. "Come on, Fang, you know that you're at least so what feeling better about her. She's doing better."

"Still. Why couldn't a girl make her feel better?"

"Because then you'd worry she was gay."

"That reminds me," he said, walking away. "Cody! Come on, we're going to watch the baseball game together. You'd like that, right?"

Ugh. Fang.

* * *

"I'm better than you."

Tyler looked at Lucas. Today was Cody's birthday, and Tyler was trying to make him a card, but no. "Why do you say that?"

"I've got wings."

"So? That just makes you a freak."

"No!"

"Yes it does," Tyler said, going back to his card. "Huh bird freak? You gonna go lay an egg?"

"Mommy!"

* * *

Fang sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Tyler's calling _someone else_ a freak?"

I elbowed him. "Shut up."

"Jason has wings," Fang told Lucas.

"Not Cody."

"No," I admitted. "But that just makes you and Jason special."

"I don't wanna be special," he cried. "I'm a creak!

"Freak, baby."

"Max," Fang sighed.

"What? I'm not going to let him go around saying it wrong."

Fang picked up Lucas. "If you're a freak, then I'm a freak."

"You're a freak?"

"No. What I meant was, I'm not and I have wings, which means that you're not."

I curled up on the couch. "See? No freak. Now go away."

Lucas sniffled loudly. "Okay."

Fang sat him back down and he ran off. "Tyler's a brat."

"Lucas was bragging. He got what he deserved."

"Still," Fang said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "When does everyone get here?"

"Soon," I told him, laying my head on him for support.

"Good. The sooner this is over, the better."

"You think so?"

"Yes," he said. "I hate having so many people over here."

"Oh, you just hid up in the attic with Damien and Bone."

"Yeah, but Damien's always bringing Samantha and she doesn't like me, so she cries."

"Oh, get over it," I said.

"I can't. I don't like Samantha, I'm sorry."

I removed my head from his shoulder. "Fang, you cannot say things like that."

"Why not?"

"Everyone else takes care of our kids and deals with their attitudes," I said.

"And? I never told them that they have to."

"You act like a baby."

He got up. "Whatever."

* * *

"Sonic, he's number one. Sonic, he's on the run. Sonic, he's coming at you-"

"Stop," I told Lucas.

"He's singing," Bone defended.

"And I have a headache," I told him.

Lucas frowned. "It's a party. I have to sing."

"God, Max, you were right," Cameron said.

"About what?"

"The more words they learn, the more annoying they are."

Victoria groaned. "You guys make it sound so fun."

Bone smiled. "My kid'll be awesome."

"Only if it doesn't take after you at all," I commented.

"Max!" James came running into the room. "Pee-ants?"

Cody walked in, much slower than his friend. "Now?"

I sighed. "Go tell Daddy to come on."

"Where's your mom?" Cameron asked me.

"Out of town," I said. "Have you talked to Tammie recently?"

"Ew, no."

"Has Damien? James was asking about her."

"Not that I know of," Cameron said with a shrug.

"Alright," Fang called, walking down the stairs with Damien. "Time for presents."

Lucas and James were way more excited than Cody about his presents. Samantha liked playing with the wrapping paper.

"Stop it," Cameron groaned, pulling yet another piece from her mouth. Samantha whined for a second before Damien gave her a pacifier.

"Look!" James picked up one of his toys, still in it's packaging. "Open!"

Cody just looked at me. "Cake now?"

Samantha picked up on of his new stuffed animals.

"Stop," Cameron told her. "That's Cody's."

"She can have it," he said, getting up. "I want cake."

Fang just rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Shouldn't we go see him open his presents?"

"Shut up," Adeem said. Alex was cute, but she was way too annoying.

"Don't tell her to shut up!" Tyler was mad. "I'll-"

"Stop," Tabitha said, sighing. They were in her room, trying to all be nice to each other. Tabitha wanted to make Adeem realize that Alex would make a horrible girlfriend, but an okay friend, and that Tyler was annoying, but tolerable. It wasn't working out so well.

Adeem got off the floor and lay down on her bed. Tyler frowned. "How come he can lay on your bed and I can't?"

"Same reason Alex can. You'll get it all nasty, they don't."

"How am I nasty?"

"You're sweaty and I don't know how often you bathe."

"Oh, but you know how often they both bathe?"

"No, but I assume it's more than you."

Tyler frowned. She had him beat.

"I took a shower last night," Adeem said. "I bet you still take baths like a baby, huh Tyler."

"Baths are not for babies."

"Yes they are," Adeem said. "Babies and girls."

"Leave him alone," Tabitha said, pushing his feet, which he had put in her lap. "You said you were going to be nice."

"I am being nice!"

"What about cake?" Alex asked. She was afraid that Cody might get upset that she wasn't down there with him. "Maybe we should-"

"Stop, Alex," Tyler finally said. "Do you want to go down there? Go. I'm not leaving."

She moaned, leaning against the wall behind her.

"How come you don't got a TV in your room?" Adeem asked Tabitha.

She frowned. The only other kid she knew that had a TV in their room was Tommy. "I don't know."

"Everyone has one."

"Like who?"

"Justin, Raphael, Connie, Jennie, Jamie-"

"He does?" Alex looked interested. Tyler frowned at her. "I just meant…that's cool."

Adeem glanced at Alex, but said nothing more about Jamie. "See, Tabitha? That's not even everyone that has one and it's a lot. You got one, Alex?"

"No, but my big brother Christian has one," she said.

"See? Even Christian has one."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "You don't even know Christian."

"And?" He closed his eyes. "You got a comfy bed though, so I guess that takes the place of a TV. You got a computer?"

"No."

"A laptop?"

"My dad has one."

"But you don't?"

"Well, no," Tabitha said. "Max broke his a last year and he just got a new one."

"Do you eve use it?"

"No."

"What do you have, besides a comfy bed?"

"I've got a drum set."

He sat up. "Why didn't you show them to me last time I was here?"

"Because we were playing with Tank."

"Come on," he said, getting up.

"They're mine!" Tyler yelled, following them down the stairs. Alex sighed, going after them. This whole 'hanging out as a group' thing was not as fun as she thought.

It was easy to sneak past the adults, as they were busy trying to keep the younger kids from getting too messy with the cake. Lucas, however, was not too easy to lose.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Nothing," Tyler said. "Go away."

He followed them into the garage. "Are we gonna play with the drums?"

"I said to go away," Tyler repeated.

"No," he whined. "Alex?"

"What?"

"Don't you want me to stay?"

"I guess."

"No," Tyler said, crossing his arms.

Tabitha rolled her eyes, deciding to ignore them. "These are them, Adeem."

"Cool," he said staring at him. "Where'd you get them?"

"They were left in the house when we moved in," she said, shrugging. "We just kept them."

"I've got a guitar," Adeem said. "I always wanted drums though."

"You got a guitar?"

He nodded. "Yep. My brother taught me until he moved out. Now I don't got a teacher."

Tabitha handed him the drumsticks. "Do you want one?"

"Why? You can play guitar too?"

She shook her head. "No, but Bone can."

"Is he the one that got married?"

"Yes."

"He's cool, I guess," Adeem said, getting behind the drums.

"Yeah."

* * *

**July**

Samantha was wiggling and jumping around. She liked this song.

"Stop, Sam," Cameron complained.

Bone just blinked. "Why?"

"Am I here?"

He nodded, going to turn down his music a little.

"To pick up Damien's order," she said. Now that the music was gone, Samantha ran over to the box of plushies. "Stop, Samantha. God."

Bone walked around the counter and went to the back. When he came back, Samantha was crying. He didn't like to see kids cry.

"Wrong?"

"I won't let her have one of those."

Bone picked up four of the plushies and handed them to her. "There."

"Bone-"

"It's fine," he said, setting the books on the counter. Samantha giggled, rubbing them against her face. They were soft.

"Na-coo."

"Welcome," he said, smiling at her. He couldn't wait till his kid was here. Of course, he was having a boy so it wouldn't be the exact same thing as Samantha, but it would still be awesome.

"Here, let me pay for those too," Cameron said.

"No," Bone said, shaking his head. He would do the same for Max and Fang's kids, after all. It was only fair.

"Whatever," Cameron said, paying for the books. "How's Victoria?"

"Nervous," Bone said. He wasn't in the slightest. He already knew that he would be a better father than Fang. True, it would be hard to be a better one than Damien, but he'd gladly tie for first.

"Have you got a name yet?"

Bone nodded, handing her the change. "Lance."

"Lance…I like that," Cameron said, picking up the bag. "Bye, Bone."

"Bye-bye!" Samantha yelled, taking her mother's hand, while her other held her new toys.

* * *

Fang stared at the box. "Do you think that we need to?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Ten minutes later, I was crying against his shoulder.

"Max, don't cry about it."

"Why not? We don't have money or time or space or…Damn Fang. This is all your fault."

"My fault? I didn't hold you down a rape you!"

"Yeah, but you said that you would use protection," I said.

"I did! It's not like they're 100% effective, though."

"I'm not some seventeen year old that gets pregnant easily, though," I said, shaking my head. "God, damn it."

"It's your own fault."

"My fault?"

"Yes! You should have been on birth control," Fang said.

"Fang, I'm breastfeeding! I didn't want any of that getting to Jason."

"I told you that you should stop breastfeeding."

"Don't tell me what to do."

He groaned. "Max, look on the bright side."

"And what's that?"

"If we have a few more, we could get our own reality show!"

I closed my eyes, ignoring the urge to knee him in the crotch. "Shut up. I'm upset, Fang."

"Great, another eight months of that."

"Stop it!"

"Max, baby, let's stop being upset, okay?" Fang lifted me up. "We should be happy, baby. This one could be a girl."

I stared at him for a second. "You wanted me pregnant."

"No, but I'm not upset either," he said, shrugging. "Max, come on though, we're not even a hundred percent sure yet. We'll go to the doctor and then see, okay?"

* * *

It was two weeks later and I was with Cameron. Whenever you're feeling bad about something and want someone to feel bad with you, just go to her. Not. If you want someone to tell you a million reasons you should shut up and stop complaining, then you go to her.

"I don't see what the problem is," Cameron went on. "Come on, Max, all you do is kiss and you get pregnant. Do you know how many people want to be you?"

"Besides underage girls who watch too much MTV, no."

She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't mind having another kid."

"Yeah, but you don't already have a house full of them!"

"Then learn to say no," Cameron said. I thought that she would have some empathy for me, as she also had an unwanted pregnant. Now that I was here though, I was realizing that her was two billion times worse, and felt like an idiot.

"Hi," Samantha told me, randomly. She smiled, holding up a picture she was drawing. It was just scribbles, but I'm sure Damien will freak out about it. Cameron wasn't interested in it and didn't even look.

"Mama."

"Shhh, Sam. I'll play with you later," she said, though we all knew that was a lie.

"What am I going to do?" I groaned.

"If you're not going to get rid of it, then why are you even asking that question?"

She had a point, but I didn't like it. "Shut up, Cameron. I came to you for support."

"Support in what? Whining?"

"You really aren't making this easy, are you?"

She shrugged. "I'm just-"

"Dada!"

We both looked up as Damien walked into the house.

"Hey," I said.

"Hi," he said back, but was more concerned with Samantha. "What have we got here?"

She held it up to him.

"It's wonderful, Sam," he said. "I'm proud of you."

Told you.

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Damien, did you finish cutting the grass?"

"Yep," he said, smiling even though he was all sweaty and nasty. Thinking that made me laugh. Whenever Tabitha talked about Tyler, those were the main to words she liked to use. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing," I said. "Just killing time."

"Till what?"

"I have to go get Tyler from your dad's."

Damien made a face, but said nothing about it. "Sam, you want ice cream? Huh? I'm hungry."

She got up. "Yes!"

"No," Cameron said, crushing both their dreams. "It's almost six, Damien."

"So?"

"That's when she eats and goes to bed."

He frowned. "Then when would you suggest the ice cream, my queen?"

She clicked her tongue at him. I saw her mouth something to him, which probably had to do with talking back to her. Damien frowned, taking Samantha into the kitchen. He didn't get her any ice cream though, nor himself any.

* * *

Tabitha and Adeem were playing go fish as Alex watched. Tyler traded a day with her in for a day with Dan. With her parents out of town, she was stuck over at Tyler's house with or with out him.

"Sure you don't wanna play?" Tabitha asked. "We could play another game, if you want."

"I bet she wants to play uno," Adeem mumbled. Tabitha threw a pillow at him.

"Stop."

"I was kidding," Adeem said. "You know that, huh, Alex?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

"We could play Clue," Tabitha offered. Adeem frowned.

"That game sucks. It's too hard."

"You know, everyone says that you're so smart, but you can't read well and suck at board games," Tabitha commented.

"What's your point?"

"Just that you're stupid."

Adeem shrugged. "I never called myself smart. Take it up with ever other person except for you."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "You're so-"

"Stupid?"

"Exactly."

He smiled. "I'm bored of this game."

"Fine. You forfeit and I win."

"Whatever," he said, getting off the bed. "Hey, Alex, you wanna play a game?"

"What game?"

"Hide and seek," he said, smiling at Tabitha. She didn't like that smile.

"Okay, I guess," Alex said, standing up.

"I'll be it, alright?" Adeem turned to face the wall. "One, two, three…"

Alex took off from the room, off to find a hiding spot. Adeem kept counting until she was long gone.

"What was the smile about?" Tabitha asked with a few ounces of suspicion in her voice as he turned to face her.

"I'm not going to find her," he said, going to close the door.

Tabitha blinked. "Wait, what?"

"I said that I'm not going to find her."

Tabitha cocked her head to the side. "But why?"

"Because, I'm here to see you, not her. I don't care about spending time with her."

"She wasn't doing anything to you."

Adeem shrugged, laying back down. "So what?"

"You're a, a, a…mean person."

"And you're not? Do you not do bad things sometimes?"

"But not to my friends!"

He shrugged. "She's not my friend."

"If you want to be my boyfriend, she has to be your friend."

He frowned at her. "I never said that I was your boyfriend."

If he was Tommy, that would have gotten him a knee to the crotch. She was starting to realize, though, that Adeem wasn't Tommy. He was her pretend husband. He wasn't the guy that spend his whole allowance on her. He was just a friend. For some reason, that made her feel ten times worse than Tommy dying.

* * *

"I told you," Fang continued. "I told you that letting her hang out with some…boy was not a good idea."

"How was I supposed to know that he didn't like her back?"

Fang ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe that he did that."

"Fang, just because Tabitha is obsessed with having a boyfriend, doesn't mean that every guy that she likes will be obsessed with that stuff. Look at Tyler. He doesn't care about that stuff."

"Still," Fang said, upset. "Our boys better never do that to some girl."

"Lucas does it all the time," I pointed out. "He even brags about it."

"That's just all jokes."

"No," I said. "That's what he did. It's the exact same thing and you know it."

"So now what?" Fang asked. "She's crushed."

"Now she just starts playing by herself or with Alex," I said, laying down on the bed. Honestly, I was more worried about the fucking baby inside me.

"I just-"

"Fang, shut up, okay? There's nothing you can do."

He shook his head again. "I'm mad, okay? Exactly what I said would happen happened."

"Ooh, you should get a medal."

"Shut the fuck up Max! God."

He left the room, angry. Rawr, jackass. I went to sleep, which was my main goal anyways. If being pregnant gives me the excuse to sleep all day, maybe it's not so bad.


	28. Chapter 28

Living

Chapter 28

**August**

"You guys are good."

I frowned at Tyler. Was this not the boy that gets angry when I'm pregnant? "What?"

He nodded. "You got a lot of babies. You have to be good at finding them."

I looked at Fang. Four more years and I swear… "Anyways, yeah, I'm pregnant again."

Tabitha shrugged. "Can I go now?"

Fang nodded and she left, running back up the stairs. Jason made a noise from the floor, banging a block against another.

"Baby!" James started bouncing. Cody watched him with sleepy eyes. It was only eight in the morning and Cody wanted to go back to bed. "New baby!"

James birthday had gone on much as Cody's. The only two differences? No Adeem, obviously, and James was not as nice as Cody. He refused to let Samantha touch his toys. Then she started crying and he felt bad, so he tried to force stuffed animals in her face.

Lucas laid his head against my arm. "I'm never getting my own room."

I gave him a kiss on the head. "Nope."

* * *

Samantha was crying.

"Shut up!"

Cameron was not in a good mood.

"Dada!"

"He's not here!"

Samantha started stomping her feet on the ground. Mommy wouldn't let her go play outside. It wasn't fair!

Cameron didn't like screaming unless it was her own. "Samantha, you stop it right now or else…I'll make you go take your lap right now, no lunch."

The threat didn't faze her. Cameron picked her up and took her upstairs to her room, where she sat her in the crib before leaving. There. Now she could peacefully watch Judge Mathis.

* * *

"But she made her skip lunch," Damien continued to protest.

"I would have spanked her," Dan commented, to which Trinity rolled her eyes.

Samantha was happy now. Daddy had come home and rescued her. Now she was at her granny's house, sitting in his lap. Nothing was better than Daddy's lap.

"Hi," Samantha told him, smiling. He gave her a kiss.

"See? I don't think that she was doing anything bad," Damien went on. "I just think that Cameron was being mean."

"Damien," his mother started. "Maybe she behaves better around you. Tammie used to act worse with me, than Dan."

"Yeah, but not Samantha."

The toddler patted his chest, looking up at him innocently. Damien gave her a kiss. Yawning loudly, she laid her head down on his chest. She was sleepy. All that crying can wear you out.

"She's sleepy," Damien said, standing. "I had better go back home. Bye, Mom."

She smiled at him, going to take the spot he had just vacated. "Bye, Damien. And goodbye, Samantha."

Samantha just made a noise, not even opening her eyes. Damien went out to his car and put her in.

"You know, Sam, you've got to be nicer to Mommy," Damien began as he pulled away from the house. "Don't cry so much, and maybe she'll like you better."

"Bana!"

"I know, sorry I even suggested it," he said, sighing a little. "It shouldn't be your job. You're just a little baby. Are you my baby, Sam? Huh?"

She giggled. "Dada!"

"Yeah," Damien said, staring at the road, though he wanted to be cuddling with her. "You wanna watch TV when we get home? Hmmm?"

She was already wiggling in her seat in anticipation.

* * *

Jason was playing with Fang and Neo as I watched Pokemon with all the other boys. I hadn't seen Tabitha in a few hours, but I'm assuming she's just up in her room.

James yawned, laying his head against my shoulder. "Max?"

"What?"

"I wan' a poke-mon."

"Yeah," Lucas agreed. "Pikachu!"

"This Pokemon is stupid," Tyler said. "I like old Pokemon. I hate Dawn. I want Misty back."

Whatever that means… I watched the rest of the show with them before taking Cody and James with me into the bedroom, for a nap. They didn't really sleep anymore, but they would at least rest.

"Hey," Fang said, coming into the room ten minutes later. He had Jason in one arm, Neo on his shoulders. "We're napping too."

"'kay."

He laid the two boys down before getting into our bed. James and Cody giggled as he wrapped the blankets around all of us. I closed my eyes as James gave me a kiss on the nose. Cody giggled and I heard Neo squeal.

"Hey, boys, if we're going to stay, we have to be quiet. Mommy's sleeping."

James cuddled against me lovingly. Sometimes I think he loves me more than my own kids…

* * *

"Artemis, are you awake?"

He grunted.

"I need you to-"

"Vickie, I just got home from work," he said. "Chill for a little."

"I've been stuck in this house all day, pregnant, and with your dogs. You owe me some attention."

"Do I now?"

"Yes."

"Give me an hour or two."

"Bone, I just need help reaching something."

He groaned, getting up from the bed. "Why do you have to be so freaking short?"

"Because I'm fat."

"You're not fat, you're pregnant."

"Then what do you call it before I was pregnant?"

"You were just preparing."

She rolled her eyes.

* * *

A week later, it was the first day of school. It was also the same day that Bone and Victoria had their baby. The joy.

I had just dropped the kids off at school, when he called me. I had all the other kids, and Fang was at work, so I didn't go down there. I think he wanted me to, but whatever. He needs to grow up sometime.

"Remy can't wait to see Lance," Cody said, caring for his baby doll. Fang thinks that he's becoming gay, but he's not. He's just going to be a good daddy, that's all. Fang's going to scar him if he keeps saying that stuff.

James was rolling around on the ground. "Remy is cool, Max. He's 'unny too."

"Is he?" I was trying to calm Neo down. He had fallen and scratched his knee.

"Yep," James said, yawning. "I'm hungry."

"We'll eat lunch later. You just ate breakfast, James."

Jason, who was playing with blocks, made a loud noise. Once Neo calmed down, I sat him on the ground and he crawled over to his friend. Jason wasn't really playing with Neo, but they were nice to each other. Jason was so young that he would play near someone, but not really interact with them.

"I gotta go poop," Cody said, getting up.

"Cody," I sighed. I really, really hope this one is a girl. He left the room to go to the bathroom. At first, he walked towards my bathroom, but I told him no and sent him upstairs.

James looked at me. "How come people poop?"

"Remember that book we read? Everybody poops? Yeah?"

"It never said why," he pointed out.

"Because you got to get the food out. You know, pee is drinks, poop is food."

James considered this. "Okay."

He got up and went over to Snickers. "Hi, kitty cat."

Snickers meowed, letting him pet her. Fox got up and jumped onto the couch with me. Like I've said before, I hate Snickers. She hates me too. I think it might be the who 'locked her in a shed during winter to hide her from the kids' thing I did, but whatever. Now Fox, he's a good cat. Does that mean that I wouldn't lock him in a shed too? Hehe, no.

* * *

Last year, Tabitha would have jumped for joy when she saw Adeem in her class. In her mind, at least. However, that was before he was mean to her.

Luckily for Tabitha, her desk was far away from Adeem's. As far away as you could get in a classroom, anyways.

"Okay," the teacher began. "For our first assignment of the year, we're going to do a group assignment."

She started listing off who was in what group. When she finished, Adeem and Tabitha were both left over.

"Oops," Mrs. Drey said, smiling a little. "I must have forgotten to put you two in a group. Here, be your own group."

The whole point of the activity was for the group members to write about what they did over the summer and then read it back to the other people in their group. Adeem smiled at Tabitha as he pushed a desk next to her.

"Hi."

She blinked. "Let's just get this over with."

He pulled out two sheets of paper from his backpack. "Here."

She took it from him, frowning. "I could have gotten my own paper."

He shrugged. "Why does it matter?"

"Just shut up and let's do this."

Deciding to try and please her, he began to write. Tabitha wondered selfishly for a second if she was in any of his writing.

"Are you done yet?" She asked three minutes later.

He nodded, finishing his last sentence. "You go first."

Her whole paper was without his name at all. Adeem didn't let is hurt him. So what if she was being mean? When he read his, her name was all through out it.

"You make it sound like we were together a lot," she complained.

"We were," he pointed out. "Hey, you know that guy? The one with the guitar? Can he still teach me or-"

"You're so stupid. Do you not know that I'm mad at you?"

"I know," he said. "I just don't know why."

"Because you said that you weren't my boyfriend."

"I'm not!" He glanced at her. "Am I?"

"Not now."

"Was I ever?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?" He frowned. "I thought we were friends and then you just stopped talking to me. Why?"

"I don't know."

He shrugged, turning his paper into a paper airplane. Then he threw it at the teacher. That not only got him sent to the office, but also her. What did she do?

* * *

"Jason's feet smell bad."

"Stop smelling them," I told James, sighing.

He just giggled. I was trying to sleep, but not really. I was just resting. I couldn't sleep with all the boys around. Fang should be home soon, though, and then I have to go to work. I'll just sleep there.

About ten minutes later, Fang did make it home. He gave me a kiss on the head. "You better go get to the store. Keith is there and said he'd stay for ten minutes."

I groaned, getting up. "Bone call you? The baby was born."

"Healthy?" He asked, sitting down in his chair. Cody climbed into his lap.

"Yes," I said. "Lance John Chill."

Fang made a face. "John?"

I shrugged. "I just love the name Lance though."

"Sure," he said, shaking his head. "Go to work, Max. Don't forget to pick up the twins too."

When I got to work, Slice was there. "Hey, Slice."

"Keith, Max, but it's alright," he said, smiling at me. He had cut his hair short and no longer wore any of his piercings. "No customers anyways. You need me to stay or you got this?"

"You can go," I said, sitting down behind the counter. He smiled at me before leaving. I was asleep when giggling woke me up.

"Hi!"

I sat up. "Hi, Samantha."

She giggled, hiding her face in Damien's leg. Damien ran a hand down her head. "Hey, Max."

"Hey," I said. "What time is it?"

"Almost two thirty."

"Shit," I said, standing up.

"Max! Don't curse."

"Sorry," I said. "Look, could you hurry? I have to go get the kids."

"Just need my order, that's all."

I went and quickly got it. "There."

"I'll go get them," Damien offered as he paid. "I mean if you-"

"Great! Thanks."

He sighed. "Can you keep Sam then? I'll get her when-"

"That's great, whatever," I said. "Drop the kids at the house, okay?"

He frowned. "Fine, I g-"

"Bye," I said, ushering him out the door. Samantha got upset at first, but calmed down when I turned on the radio. She loves music for some reason. She started bouncing up and down, giggling.

"You like this song?" I asked her. Samantha just wiggled around, giggling loudly. "Huh?"

Samantha didn't talk that much. She just laughed, really. I mean, she's stuck with Cameron most of the time, so she really didn't have anyone prompting her to talk like I did with all our kids. I had an obsession with teaching them to do stuff. Cameron just wanted Samantha to stay alive. Besides that, she wasn't too concerned with her.

"You're such a good dancer," I told her. "Your hair looks pretty today too."

She climbed up into my lap as the song stopped and as the station turned to commercials.

"Hi," Samantha said, patting the counter.

"Hi."

She giggled, shaking her head. No one had put her hair up today so it just flung around, making her laugh.

"Can you say my name? Huh? Can you say Max?"

She looked around the store, apparently finding me boring. "Na ta."

"Yeah, I know," I said. "Sometimes I can't even say my name."

Damien came back and quickly picked up Samantha. "I missed you. Don't you think that I love you? How were you? How was she, Max? Was she okay?"

"Fine, Damien," I said. "How were the kids? Did they say?"

"Good," he said. "Oh, and Tabitha got sent to the office."

"For what?"

"Her and Adeem did something to a teacher, I don't know," he said, starting towards the door. "Bye, Max."

"Bye," I said, sighing.

* * *

Bone frowned. He thought that he was used to loud noise, but nothing this loud. "Why?"

"He's just upset," Victoria said, rocking the baby.

"Why?"

"I don't know, Art," she said, sighing. "He's scared. This is his first night in our apartment."

Victoria wouldn't let Nina come into the guestroom. Or the baby's room. Whatever. Bone was not the happiest person in the world like he thought he would be. And he was ecstatic the first two hours after Lance was born. Then, it wore off. And now, here they were, two days later. He didn't remember Carol crying this much. Lance was loud and annoying. He was scaring the dogs too.

"Yeah, but how do I fix it?"

"You just soothe him," she said, still rocking the baby. "Go back to bed, Artemis. You can get him next time."

Bone sighed, leaving the room. Nina was hiding under the kitchen table and Bubba was under the couch. He tried to coax them both out, but they just refused. Sighing, he went back to bed. He always thought that his kid would be the best. He wouldn't cry, he wouldn't poop too much, he would just be perfect. His dream was crushed and even his dogs wouldn't comfort him.

It was so unfair.

* * *

Tabitha sighed, sitting down at her desk. It was now time for recess and Adeem had gotten her in trouble again. She kept trying to ignore him, but it wasn't working.

"Never, in my thirty years of teaching, have I had two students like you two," Mrs. Drey went on. Adeem made a face, wishing he could sit next to Tabitha so that she could see it.

"You are both third graders," the teacher continued. "You cannot act like first graders."

Adeem laid his head down on his desk. You steal one kids backpack and all of a sudden you're a bad person.

"I didn't do anything, though," Tabitha tried. And she really hadn't. Just as she was telling Adeem to give Mark his bag back, the teacher came up to them. That's what she gets for trying to be a good person.

"She really didn't," Adeem said. "She was just trying to get me to-"

"Enough! I do not find it honorable to stick up for someone when they are just as guilty as you," Mrs. Drey said. Tabitha frowned. It wasn't fair.

"She really didn't-"

"Stop it before I send you both down the office."

Adeem was faced with a dilemma. He wanted to go to the office. The principal was cool, and he'd probably miss the rest of class today. Tabitha, though, clearly didn't like that idea, so he shut his mouth.

"Now," the teacher started again. "You have got to stop miss behaving. Stealing is a very big offence. You have no idea how bad it can get."

He drowned out the rest of what she said with the music from the headphones of the Ipod he stole. He was in the back of the class, so the old hag couldn't see them in his ears. Life was good.

* * *

Damien was watching Justice League when Cameron walked into the bedroom. Samantha squealed at the sight of her mother.

"Hi!"

Cameron ignored her, going into the bathroom. Samantha frowned. Then her daddy started giving her kisses to make her feel better. It worked. He had gotten her giggling when Cameron came back into the room. Suddenly, Samantha's attention was back on her mother.

"Mama!"

"Shut up," Cameron said, going to get into bed.

"Bad day at work?"

"I was talking to you too."

He frowned, pulling Samantha closer to him. The baby got bored with her mother and turned her attention back on her father. He was trying to get back into the cartoon, but now Samantha wanted to play. Patting his cheek, she started babbling, trying to explain how much she wanted to go play outside.

"Stop, Sam," he complained, grabbing her hand. He kissed it, not wanting to upset her. "I know, just stop."

He didn't know though or else she would be playing outside. Cameron rolled her eyes, reaching over Damien to grab the remote from the nightstand.

"Cameron! I'm watching that, baby."

"Now you're not," she said, putting it on the news.

Damien groaned. "Why can't you go watch that downstairs?"

"Why can't you?"

"I was up here f-"

"Are you talking back to me? Are you arguing? Yelling?"

"What? Are you just going to go down the list of things I might be doing?" He shook his head.

"Why do you have to be so annoying?"

"Me?" Damien looked at her in shock. "I'm annoying?"

"Are you implying that I'm annoying?"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!"

"Stop fucking yelling at me!"

"I'm not!"

Cameron got out of bed. "You don't even give a damn about why I'm so tense?"

"Not really, no."

"Fine!" She slammed the door on her way out.

Samantha looked at her father. "Dada?"

Damien gave Samantha a kiss. "You know what, Samantha? I'm not even going to go after her. I don't need her as long as I have you."

Cameron, who was waiting outside the door, because he _always_ comes after her, heard this. Was her serious? Did he really not care what was wrong? All that that she just did and he wasn't even going to find out why?

Slowly, she walked down the stairs. Peter was on the couch, just lounging. She picked him up and then laid down, him on her stomach. Samantha? Over her? If she hadn't have heard it with her own ears, she wouldn't have believed it.

What was so great about Samantha? She was only one! She couldn't even form real sentences yet. She was nothing, but a child. How could he pick her? Cameron was obviously better. She had a way better biological father than Samantha did. Samantha was nothing but a…rape kid.

She shook her head. When did she become Jack? She wasn't Jack. She was better than Jack. She couldn't be jealous of a child. Then she'd just be her mother. In no way did she ever want to become her mother. But it wasn't fair. How could Damien say that?

"You'd choose me, right Peter?"

The cat meowed, cuddling against her. He'd choose Cameron over anyone.

* * *

**October**

Samantha was over, playing with Neo. She was a little bit older than him, but they were a better match than him and Jason.

"No," Neo complained as she took one of his toys.

"Yes," Samantha said, holding the stuffed animal close to her. It was a teddy bear. "My!"

"Samantha, stop it," Cameron said, grumpily.

"It's fine," I said as Neo moved on to another toy. "See? He doesn't even care."

"Still," Cameron said, frowning a little. The almost two year old stood up, taking her new toys with her. She went over to the stairs.

"Where are you going?" I asked her as she tried to climb the gate. When it didn't work, she sat down and stared at it.

"Da-ee," she said, pointing up the stairs. She must think that he's up there with Fang.

"He's at work, Samantha," Cameron said, rolling her eyes. "You know that."

"No," Samantha said, cuddling with the bear. "Da-ee! Me!"

Cody looked at her. "Loud."

James giggled, getting up from the chair that he and Cody had been sitting in. "Samantha!"

Running over to her, James patted her head. "Get up, Sam."

"Leave her alone, James," I told him.

"She's gotta get up," he continued. "She can just sit there!"

Cody frowned. "Shhh. Pooh's on, James."

James tried to pick Samantha up. He was bigger than her, but not that much. He dragged her a little, making her start to cry.

"See? I told you to stop, now do it."

James let her go and Samantha ran to her mother for comfort. When she offered up none, I picked up the little girl.

"Shhh," I soothed, rubbing her back. Today someone had put Samantha's hair into a ponytail so she couldn't shake it around as well. "Its okay, Samantha. Don't be upset, baby."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Don't humor her, Max. She's just being a baby."

"She's a baby, Cameron."

"Yeah, that stole my husband."

I groaned. For the past two months, I've had to hear about Cameron and how she thinks that Damien loves Samantha more. And so what if he does? If it came down to it, Fang would let me die to save the kids. And I would want him too. That's the way it should be, after all.

"Cameron, really?"

She sighed, reaching over and taking her baby. "There, I held her. Happy?"

"Not really, no," I said. "Cameron, do you really hate her that much?"

"No," she said, rolling her eyes, as if I were the stupid one. Yeah. "I just don't like her."

Samantha laid her head against her mother, holding the teddy bear to her chest. "Mama."

"What?"

Giggling like always, she closed her eyes. "Ni-ni."

"Yeah," Cameron said, shaking her head. "Sleep, you little brat."

"Cameron!"

"What? I was joking."

No she wasn't.

* * *

"You know, if I wanted, I could kill you."

Frowning, Alex looked at Tyler. "Why would you say that?"

"Just wanted to make sure you knew," he said, jumping off the jungle gym. "'case you thought that you could replace me."

"Replace you with what?" She asked, also jumping down.

"You know, someone else."

"Like who?"

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe…"

"What? I didn't hear-"

"Jamie," he repeated, louder this time."

She crossed her arms. "How come I can never have any other friends?"

"Because I can't."

"What friends have I kept you from getting?"

He scowled at her. "Tons! You don't even know, Alex."

"Clearly."

Again with the scowl. "I was just telling you, Alex, that I could kill you,"

"I doubt it."

He was not happy with her at the moment. "I could and you know it."

"You sure think that I know a lot."

Ignoring this, he concluded, "So don't ever leave me. I mean, replace me."

"Right," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "You know Tyler, even if you could kill me, which you can't, it would be stupid to do it."

"I can, but just because I like hearing you talk, why would it be stupid?"

"You like hearing me talk? And it would be stupid because if I did replace you, you wouldn't have me."

"Yeah, I do. And so what? That would be the point of killing you."

"That's weird, but I like hearing you talk too, I guess. And if you killed me, then you would have me either, so that's just unproductive."

"Thank you. And what does unproductive mean?"

"Your welcome. And it means that you wouldn't prove anything. Either way you wouldn't have me, so why would it matter?"

"It just does, okay?" He was frustrated. Why did she have to be so smart? God, the only thing worse was arguing with Tabitha.

* * *

"Because that's not fair!"

"I'm not the one getting you in trouble," Adeem pointed out. "Just stop following me around."

"I'm not! You do something bad and then you come and find me."

"You used and twice," he said. "Don't you know how to speak English 'crectly?"

"It's correctly, idiot."

"No need to call me names. 'least I'm educated."

"Yeah, whatever," she retorted with an eye roll.

It was recess right now, but, as seemed to be the new norm, Tabitha was stuck inside with Adeem. It was like God was punishing her for ever being friends with him. Though, if this was Hell, she wouldn't feel so bad about being sent there.

Right now, Mrs. Drey was on a 'conference call'. Whatever. Tabitha heard what she said into the phone. It was her husband, she should just admit it. The old bat, God did Tabitha hate her. The girl normally prided herself on not being her brother, on not falling into senseless hate. But with Mrs. Drey, it was just impossible. No matter what Tabitha did, how many good grades she got, how many times she followed instruction, the woman kept putting her in with Adeem. It was like every time he did bad, they were suddenly joined and she just had to be in on it.

"If she sends us to the principal, my dad is going to ground me."

"Just tell him your acting out for attention," Adeem said with a shrug. "Always works for me."

"Ugh. You're impossible."

He shook his head. "And you're mean. We're a match!"

"I am not mean."

"Yes, you are," he said, looking down at the paper the teacher had given him. They were supposed to write down why they act the way that they do and how they could improve. Adeem wasn't feeling it, so he had only wrote one word. Butt. No matter how many times he heard that word, it would always be funny.

"Why would you call me mean? You're the one who-"

"Told the truth? Shocking, huh?"

"See? You're mean."

"No," he said. "I'm funny."

"To who? If you were really funny, how come people don't wanna hang out with you? People like funny people."

"They just don't like me 'cause they know that I'm friends with you."

"We're not friends, Adeem."

"Yes, we are," he said, smiling. "Best friends. Just accept it."

"There's nothing to accept!"

"See? If we weren't friends, you wouldn't get so mad."

"I'm mad because you're stupid."

"That right, call me stupid. It's because you like me," he taunted.

"Like you? Like _you_?"

"Now who's the stupid one, having to repeat my words out loud just to understand." He shook his head.

"I do not like you, Adeem."

"Then how come you called me your boyfriend?"

Her cheeks flamed. Dealing with Tommy was never this hard. "That doesn't mean that I like you."

"It's okay," he said. "A lot of girls like me. You know, 'cause I'mma be a rock star."

Tabitha snorted. "Rock star?"

"Yep…soon as I find someone to help me again."

"When's the last time you heard of a Muslim rock star?"

"Why does that matter?" He asked. "'sides, who said that I really wanna be Muslim?"

"What does that mean?"

"What do you think it means?" He looked at her. "Come on, thought you were the smart one?"

Her blush faded quickly. How dare he comment on her acumen! "What I meant was, why don't you wanna be Muslim?"

"How could I marry you if I was?"

"What?"

He nodded. "Don't worry, I won't cheat on you when I'm on the road or nothin'. Well, maybe."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I might get another girlfriend-"

"Adeem."

"What?"

"What do you mean marry me? You didn't even want to be my boyfriend!"

"I never said that. I just think it would be stupid right now," he said, shrugging. "Technically, I guess I could marry you while being Muslim. You have to be Jewish or Christian, I think."

"Why would you know that?"

"I asked my brother," he said.

"You did?"

He nodded. "Had to make sure, you know. Didn't want to go off telling you and then have to go back on what I said."

"Why do you want to marry me? I thought I was mean?"

"You are mean. Very mean."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"When do I ever answer your questions?"

"Alright, I'm back," Mrs. Drey said, coming back into the room.

Adeem frowned as she walked in, preparing to get yelled at for not having written anything down. As the teacher put her phone back in her desk, Tabitha got up and switched their papers.

"Why are you out of your seat?" The teacher asked, turning back around, just as Tabitha got back to her desk.

Tabitha just shrugged. Looking down at the paper she had given him, he realized that she must have been writing when they were talking, because she had filled the whole page. He felt bad, her only have the word butt on her paper. Adeem had no time to do anything about it though, because Mrs. Drey was now checking the girl's paper.

"Tabitha Shadows," the teacher exclaimed in shock. "Why would you write and draw something so obscene?"

Adeem wasn't sure what obscene meant, but he could make a very good guess. Along with the word, he had drawn a picture of a butt and put an arrow next to it, the words 'Mrs. Drey's crack' written next to it. Now he really felt bad.

"I did it," Adeem tried, but the older woman just dismissed him.

"No need to cover for her, Mr. Saad," Mrs. Drey said. "You do enough for her. To the principal, Ms. Shadows."

Adeem felt terrible. It wasn't until he saw Tabitha smile at him on the way out that he felt a little better. She knew that she was going to get in trouble at home, but she couldn't help it. Saad…she wouldn't mind being Mrs. Saad. Not that she was accepting his proposal. Because she wasn't.

* * *

"So?"

Tabitha looked up at me. "What?"

"You're not going to tell me why you were all smiles while your dad was yelling at you?"

She just smiled again, not moving from her spot on the bed. "Adeem asked me to marry him."

"What?"

"Well, not really. He told me that he was, though. Long as I'm Christian or Jewish or something. He said that he'd not be Muslim for me, though, so that's good."

I shook my head. "Tabitha, you can't keep acting up in class, you know."

"I don't!" She said. "Adeem does and then the teacher blames it on me."

"Well, maybe you need to stop being friends with him."

She looked serious suddenly. "We are _not_ friends, Max."

"You're not even friends with they guy that you're going to marry?" I asked her in an amused tone.

"We're not getting married," she told me. "I said that Adeem wanted us to. That's not saying that I'll say yes."

"Why would you say no?"

"Because I don't like him."

"If you're sure."

"I am," she said, glancing at her nightstand. On it was the necklace with the ring on it that Tommy had given to her. She hadn't been wearing it that often anymore. She must have notice my glance, because she said, "I just forget to wear it."

"Okay," I said, not even feeling like getting into that. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"Did you make it?" She asked, disgust evident in her voice.

"No, Tabitha."

"Okay then."

I rolled my eyes before walking out of the room.

"Mommy!" Lucas yelled from downstairs. "Door for you!"

I groaned, going back down the stairs. "Lucas, I told you not to answer to door if I'm not downstairs."

He shrugged, running off. When I got to the door, my mood changed from annoyed, to pissed. "Just leave me alone!"

He put up his hand, not letting me close the door. True, I am much stronger than Jeb, but at that moment I seemed to forget. "Maximum, why will you not just let me talk to you?"

I stopped trying to close the door, realizing it was fruitless. "Did you ever stopped to think that I'm finally doing good? I'm better without you?"

"What about my needs, Max? What about the worlds?"

"Why is it always about the world with you?" God, you'd like think that he needed it to survive…never mind.

"I just want to talk," he said, pleading now. "Please."

"No," I said.

"Max-"

"Who are you?"

Tyler was suddenly at my side, protective as ever. "Are you a cheater too, Max?"

I held in the urge to punch something. "No, Tyler."

"Is this-"

"No," I said. "This is Fang's son. My son."

"But it's not-"

"That was the one who opened the door," I said. I knew what he was asking. He wanted to know which one Carlos was always telling him about.

"I should have figured…"

Tyler looked up at me. "Want me to kill him? I can, you know?"

"I want you to go get your dad," I said. "And your brothers and sister."

"Why?"

I looked at Jeb. "Just do it."

* * *

James cocked his head to the side. "I already got a grandpa. He's bigger than you."

Cody leaned against Fang, not liking this. "I'm hungry."

Dinner was getting cold, but I deemed this more important. Tabitha sighed loudly.

"Can I go now?"

Fang didn't even look at her. "If I were you, given what you did today, I would just sit there quietly."

Gasman, who was standing with Neo in his arms, looked at the clock. "Max, I'm going to be late for work if you don't let me go."

"Go," I said. "Have fun."

He gently put Neo on the ground next to James before leaving. Jeb, who was in a chair brought in from the kitchen, cleared his throat.

"So…where's Gasman's…girlfriend."

I shrugged. "He doesn't have one, I guess."

Lucas, as always, decided that it was up to him to break the ice. "Are you married to my grandma?"

That threw us all of. Jeb looked at him. "What?"

Lucas nodded. "Like how mommy and daddy's gotta be married, are you and my grandma married? She said that you were dead."

"When did you ask Dr. Martinez about her husband?" Fang asked, frowning.

"I didn't," Lucas said, smiling mischievously.

"But you just said-"

"Drop it, Fang," I said, sighing a little. "No, Lucas, they're not married."

"Good," Tyler said. "I'd kill you if you were."

Jeb frowned, looking at Tyler. "Are you the one with cancer?"

"That was a long time ago," I said quickly. James had heard it though.

"What's cancer?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. "Is it like a dancer? My daddy likes those, huh Max?"

"What?"

He nodded. "That wha' grandpa says. Daddy liked dancers. He gonna go to a bad place for that."

Oh God. I looked at the ceiling. "James, be quiet, okay sweetie?"

Nodding, he put his hands in his lap, still listening intently. Jason, who was in my lap, got restless and began to wiggle around. He wasn't happy about so many people being around.

"Um…Tabitha's boyfriend's dead," Lucas said, still trying to make conversation. "Car accident. Boom! Then he died."

"Lucas!" Fang was mad. I was embarrassed.

"I hate you!" Tabitha ran off upstairs. Tyler, who had been sitting on the floor, took her seat next to me on the couch.

Lucas was unfazed. "I don't gots a girlfriend. 'cept there's a bunch of girls that chase me. I think it's because they know how cool I am. Like Ari. She likes me. I hate her. She bites. It's okay, I out run her."

"Just be quiet," Fang told him.

"No, no," Jeb said, looking at him with amazement. I knew that look. I hate that look. "He's quite interesting, to say that least."

No kidding.

Lucas nodded, glad that someone finally recognized his brilliance. "I can count all the way to one hundred…sort of. That's not important though. Wanna see my wings?"

"Ye-"

"No," I said, having had enough of that look. It was starting to make sense. "Lucas, go upstairs."

"Am I in trouble?"

After all the things he just said, did he think there was a chance he wasn't? "I want you to go wash your hands for dinner."

He shot up. "Be right back, Jab."

"Jeb," my supposed father said.

Lucas giggled, running up the stairs.

"Why'd you do that?" Jeb asked me, frowning.

"Because, I just realized what you were doing."

"What am I doing?"

"You know what you're doing."

"I don't know what he's doing," Tyler admitted. "I'll kill him, though."

"Tyler, go take Cody and James upstairs to wash their hands."

"And our feet," James said as he took them upstairs. "Cody's look weird."

"No!"

Fang looked at me. "Max-"

"Look, Jeb, I thought that maybe you had a genuine reason for coming, but apparently you don't," I said, suddenly become very cross with him.

"Max, what are you talking-"

"Lucas is not what you think he is."

"What do I think he is?"

"A leader."

Jeb looked at me with something in his eyes that I couldn't quite read, but knew that I didn't like. "Well, he does have the ability to speak to-"

"Stop," Fang said, finally catching on. "What? You want him to take Max's place?"

I didn't look at Fang. "Not mine, Fang. Kevin's."

* * *

Fang stared at me. "So you're saying-"

"Yes."

He shook his head. "Why would he want Lucas?"

"Because, he's the next obvious choice, it they want to stay in my blood line," I said.

"So they picked Kevin-"

"Just because I was his mother, yes," I finished.

"So that stuff that killed him, that you say that they shot into Kevin was supposed to make him...better?"

I nodded a little, the memory, no matter how old, still a very fresh, bleeding wound. "Yeah."

"Better how?"

"Fang, why have you never asked this stuff before?"

"Because I didn't want to push you."

"And you're not pushing me now?"

He looked at me with a mixture of wanting to comfort and wanting to force. "If you don't want to tell me, baby, then don't. I'm not going to make you do anything. I just want to understand."

"What's there to understand? I was a screw up," I went on. "I wouldn't do what they wanted. My child though, they could use him. It was easier than tracking down my clone or making another. They just needed him to be more…me like. They wanted to change stuff in side of him. Then, the liquid they had, was supposed to do all that. He was too young though. He just couldn't…damn it, Fang."

I hit him in the chest, but he just held him to me. "Not Lucas, though. He could take it. That's what they want him for, huh? Well they're not getting him. They're not getting any of our babies, not again."

* * *

"It's Friday," Damien whispered in Cameron's ear. She pushed him away. "Come on, Cammie. We're both off today. Let's do something."

"I got you a place to paint for a reason. Go use it."

He frowned. "What's wrong, Cameron? Are you sick?"

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Besides the fact that it's seven in the morning?"

"Eight."

"Oh, Damien, shut up."

He frowned. "Please? I just want us both to be up."

"Why don't you go get Samantha? Isn't she better than me?"

"Why do you always say that?"

"Because you say it?"

"Not to your face."

She would have rolled her eyes, had they been open. "Shut up, Damien."

He pulled her body to his, holding her close to him. "Fine. Sleep."

"Let me go."

"Nope," he said, giving her a kiss on the side of the head. "Wanna hear a story?"

She sighed, deciding to give into him. "About?"

"You choose."

"Tell me about…your mother." If that didn't get him to leave her alone, nothing would.

"You know all about her, but okay. She's nice and-"

"Damien, I meant your real mother."

He frowned, glancing at her. "She's not my real mother, but whatever. She's dead."

"How?"

"Overdose, I think. I only know what I know from eavesdropping."

She opened her eyes a little to look at him. "do you know what she looked like?"

"Yeah. I used to go to her father's farm, remember? He had pictures of her."

"Was she beautiful?"

"She was ugly."

"Really?"

"On the inside."

She rolled her eyes. "So she was beautiful?"

"I don't' know. I guess."

"How old were you when she left you?"

"From what I can guess from hearing my father and my grandfather, I would guess six months, maybe. Maybe four. I'm not sure."

"Who named you?"

"She did."

"Why?"

He frowned, reaching down to grab his cross that still was around her neck. "Because she said that I was the antichrist, that I was born to bring hell to her life."

"Oh, Damien."

He shook his head. "She was crazy."

"Why did your father let her do that?"

He looked away. "It's not like he ever really had that great of a feeling about me. He'd let her kill me, I'd guess, if she wanted."

"No, he wouldn't have, Damien," she said, suddenly feeling like she needed to make him feel better. "If that were true, he wouldn't have kept you after she left, right? He would have given you away or something."

Damien shrugged, letting go of the cross. "It's not important, really."

She ran a hand down his arm. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Now tell me about your mother."

"What? That was not a part of the d-"

"Please, Cameron?"

Sighing, she began. "Where do I start? She was just hateful. Her parents weren't much better to her, I don't suppose. She was just too rich and too mean."

"Tell me something about her, though," he insisted.

"Like what?"

"Like a story or something that you remember. Something."

Looking away from him, she started. "I remember when I was eight. I was living with her and Jack. He had woken me, Paul, and Trent up early and was going to take us to the zoo. Paul, as always, said that he didn't want to go. Like I've said, he and Jack hate each other."

"Why?"

"Because, Damien, not everyone is like you. Not everyone loves their stepparent."

"Okay, so continue."

"Alright. So Paul went back to bed, and I was in the shower. When I got out and was putting on my shoes, my mom came down stairs. She asked Jack what he was doing and then said no. He asked her why he couldn't. She said that it was because I was going. That I was bad. I didn't deserve to go."

"What had you done?"

"That's just the point," she said. "I hadn't done anything. Jack asked her what she was talking about, but she didn't tell him. She said that Trent could go, but I needed to go do my chores. When I told her that I had done them all the day before and that I should be able to go, she got into my face and told me not to talk back to her. Then she slapped me!"

"Then what?"

"Jack asked why she did that but she didn't say. She went back upstairs. Jack told me that I was okay, that I shouldn't feel too bad. It wasn't her fault. I guess it was mine, or at least that was what he was implying."

"Did he go to the zoo?"

"With Trent, yeah. It wasn't fair, Damien. I didn't do anything!"

"I believe you," he said, running a hand down her head. "Trust me, I believe you."

She sighed, closing her eyes. "Why didn't _she_ believe me? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Neither does Samantha."

"Damien-"

"Shhh," he said, giving her a kiss on the head. "Let's just lay in bed for awhile, okay?"

"But-"

"No, Cameron. Let's just be quiet for awhile," he said. He really needed to stop talking before he said something that got him kicked out of the bedroom.

"What were you talking about, with Samantha? I don't treat her bad, do I?"

He hesitated. "Well-"

"I don't," Cameron said. "I take care of her. Sometimes I'll let her play with toys on the bed while I'm watching TV. That time when she was throwing up, I stayed home and didn't do anything so that I could watch you take care of her. I am a good mother, Damien. I'm not my mother, at all."

Sighing, he started to rub her back. "I never said you were."

"Good, because I'm not."

She was not.


	29. Chapter 29

Living

Chapter 29

Halloween fell on a Friday. Adeem just so happened not to be grounded that day, so Tabitha asked if she could go over to his house. Reluctantly, both of her parents said yes, so here she was.

"You got more posters," she observed.

Adeem nodded. "And look! I cleaned for you…sort of. I put all my underwear in the drawer, at least."

"How come you didn't put any posters on this wall?" She asked, deciding not to ask about the underwear.

"I pray that way."

"On the wall?"

"Facing it."

"So you can't have posters on the wall that you face, but your room can be messy?"

He shrugged. "Hey, wanna see my guitar?"

"I saw it last time I was here."

"Not that guitar," he said. "My brother's home and he brought his with him."

"So it's not your guitar, it's his," she deduced.

"Why do you have to ruin everything for me?"

"What? I was just stating what you didn't."

Adeem frowned. "I'll go get the guitar."

She sat down on his bed, waiting for him. When he came back, he had a blue, electric guitar. Adeem smiled proudly, walking into his bedroom with it.

"It's too big for me, right now," he said, going over to her. "But when I get older, it'll be mine."

"Adeem!"

Tabitha frowned. "Who's that?"

"My brother," he said, making a face. "He doesn't exactly know that it'll be mine soon. And I didn't ask if I could show it to you."

She just rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Trick-or-treat."

Cameron smiled. "You look so cute, James."

"I'm not James," he said. "I'm Darth Vader!"

"Sure, James," she said, smiling at me. I rolled my eyes.

"They wanted you to see their costumes," I said.

"What are you, Cody?"

He smiled. "I'm Batman."

Cameron looked at me with shock. "I though that Batman was DC."

"He is," I said. "Fang almost had a heart attack."

"I bet he did," she said, putting candy in the boys' bags. "Where's Lucas?"

"Danny and Ari's mother took him," I said, shrugging. "He was Randy Orton. Whoever that is."

"That's a wrestler!"

Cameron turned her head a little. "Damien, hurry up. Max doesn't have all day."

I was going to give Cody and James to Damien, seeing as he was taking Samantha too. I really needed to get to work."

"I can't find my jacket," he complained, coming to the door. Samantha was in his arms. She was dressed like a bear cub.

"It's fine," I said. "It's not that cold."

"Still," he said, shifting Samantha. She looked at the two boys with interest.

"Hi, Samantha," James said, his mask making his voice different. "I am your father!"

"James, stop," I said, rolling my eyes. "I have to go. You guys got them?"

"Yep," Cameron said. They were going to spend the night at her house tonight, anyways. "Tell Max bye, boys."

"Bye-bye," Cody said. "I love you."

"I love you more!" James declared. Then he giggled at how the Darth Vader mask made him sound. "Bye."

I smiled at them before leaving. When I got to work, Bone was waiting. He hugged me and gave me a kiss.

"Pictures?"

I handed him my phone. He smiled, looking through the photos of the kids. I sat down on the stool, getting ready for a long nap.

"Tabitha?"

"She didn't go again this year," I said, shrugging. "One less costume to buy. She's at Adeem's house right now."

Bone nodded, giving me my phone back. He gave me another kiss. "Home. Bye."

"Bye," I said, smiling at him. "See you later."

"Love."

"I love you too."

After he was gone, I went to sleep.

* * *

Bone gave Victoria a kiss. "Good day?"

She shrugged, looking down at Lance. "Here, go put him in his crib."

He had just left the room when there was a knock on the door. Victoria sighed, going to get it. In an apartment, they didn't get a lot of trick-or-treaters, but they got a few.

"Hi," the little girl said when she opened the door. "Is Mr. Bone home?'

Victoria frowned. "You're not here for candy?"

"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "I need to check on Mr. Bone."

"Who are you, again?"

"Jamisha," she said. "Who are you?"

"I-"

"Hi," Bone said, coming up behind his wife.

"You are alive!" Jamisha looked relieved.

Bone nodded. "Yes."

Victoria stepped out of the way. "Do you want to come in?"

Jamisha didn't answer her. The relief on the girl's face had faded into anger. "Why don't you call me anymore, Bone? You never ask me to watch Nina and Bubba anymore."

Bone smiled at her. "I got a wife now. She's home with the dogs."

"Still could have told me."

Bone just kept smiling. "You know, I will need help again pretty soon."

"Why?" Jamisha asked.

"Because I'm going to be moving and I'll need help getting all my stuff out to the car."

Jamisha stared at him in shock. "You're leaving?"

"I have to. I have a wife and kid now."

"What about Bubba and Nina?"

"They're coming too."

Jamisha frowned. "So I won't see you anymore?"

Bone hesitated. "Well, no, I guess not. But it'll be okay."

Looking sad, she said, "I guess I should go, Bone. I've got a party to go to."

"Party? You're not trick-or-treating?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I'm too old for that."

Too old? What was wrong with kids these days? "Will you help me when I move out?"

"I might…something could come up, though," she said, trying to sound like she didn't need him.

"Of course," he agreed. "Something… Well, tell your brother, will you?"

"He doesn't live with us no more," she said. "He lives with my dad."

Bone frowned. How long _had_ it been since he had seen Jamisha? "Tell him I said hi next time you talk to him, okay?"

"Alright," she said, starting to back away. "Goodbye, Bone."

"Bye," he said. "And, Jamisha?"

"Yes?"

"If you ever need me…or something, I'll be here until I move out, okay? And even after that."

"Okay. Bye, Bone."

"Bye," he said, slowly closing the door. Why had he forgotten about her? For a long time, Jamisha was one of the only things that was a constant. Now he had Victoria and Lance. Why did good change feel so bad?

Nina came up to him and rubbed her head against his leg, as if she too were feeling the power of change. Sighing, Bone ran a hand down his dog's back. Why do all good things come to an end?

* * *

**November**

"No," Bone groaned, pulling Victoria back to him. "Don't go yet."

"I have too, Art," she said, pushing his hand away from his waist.

"Why?"

"For one, I've been stuck in this apartment long enough. For another, yesterday was the last day of my maternity leave. I have to go."

He groaned. "But it's raining. I hate the rain."

"It's not raining that hard," she said over a clap of thunder. "Remember, Lance normally is awake by nine. Be up, Artemis."

He just groaned, closing his eyes again. Why did she have to leave? He was just getting comfortable too. "Be safe."

"Always," she said, making a face at him in the dark. "Don't forget the dogs either. I do not want to clean up any poop when I get home."

"My dogs are housetrained, thank you."

She ignored him. "And you had better eat at least once today. And no, that does not mean eat a cookie. I want you to either eat breakfast or lunch. Preferably both, but one will suffice."

"Stop showing off your college education."

She leaned over the bed and gave him a kiss. "I'll see you at five, baby."

"Bye," he mumbled against his pillow. "Love."

"I love you too."

* * *

Tabitha and Adeem were in trouble, _again_. This time Adeem had taken Play-Doh and put it on some kids chair so that when he sat in it, it got stuck to his pants. How Tabitha had anything to do with that was behind her.

"Our punishments don't even make sense anymore," Tabitha said. The teacher had them grading papers. Well, she was grading papers, Adeem was half asleep. "Are you drooling?"

"No," he said groggily. "When I squint, you kind of look like a man."

"Shut up, Adeem."

He smiled a little. "If you weren't White, would you wanna be Arab?"

"No."

"Then what would you want to be?" He asked, frowning.

"What would you want to be if you weren't what you are?"

"I'd be Mexican," he said, smiling. "Or Japanese."

"I'd wanna be Black," Tabitha said.

"That'd be cool too," he said. "If you had to pick Japanese or Chinese, which one?"

"Chinese, duh."

"What?"

"Yeah," she said. "No one ever says 'let's go get Japanese food' do they?"

"They eat sushi," he pointed out.

"That's not all that great."

He rolled his eyes. "If you weren't Christian, would you be Muslim?"

"I don't know," she said. "Would you want me to be?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"Well, I'm not."

"I'd give up Allah for you," he said. "It's only fair."

"I never asked you to," she told him. "Besides, that would be a stupid choice. If you believe in something, like really believe in it, you should stand by it."

"Yeah, but it shows how much I like you."

"Still."

Adeem sighed. "You make everything so hard. Why can't you just be happy that I would do that for you? Oh, wait, I forgot. You're never happy."

"I am too! I'm a very happy person, Adeem."

"Whatever you say, Tabitha."

* * *

You know when you hear something, and you just feel your stomach drop? When the world just stops making sense for awhile? Do you? I mean, do you really?

Fang looked hard at me. "Do we-"

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head. This wasn't like Tommy dying, where the words were there, just all jumbled. There were no words for this. They barely knew her, really. I wasn't sure their true feelings for Victoria, so how could I tell them about her death? I wasn't all that sure of my own feelings, really.

"Should we tell them all at the same time or separate?"

"Fang, I don't know, okay? The kids are not my fucking concern right now."

Fang sighed. "Bone-"

"Shut up, Fang," I said, shaking my head. "You can't even begin to understand."

"Excuse me?"

"You've never had someone close to you die."

"Hello, Max, does our son ring a bell?"

"Our son was not close to you," I said. "You never even knew him."

"I am not getting into it with you tonight."

"There's nothing to get into. What I said was the truth!"

He sighed, laying back on the bed. "Who has the kid?"

"Trinity and Dan."

He nodded his head a little. "Let's wait a little to tell the kids. I need to think."

"Whatever."

* * *

Cameron rolled onto her stomach. "It's like everyone in our life dies."

Damien frowned. "No. It's normal for people to die. It's part of life."

"It's kind of sad, huh? Everyone he knows dies," she said. "Poor Bone."

Samantha poked Damien in the chest. Why were they so sad? She wanted to play!

"Yeah, I know," Damien said, running a hand down Sam's head. "My mom has Lance."

"Good," she said. "I hope Bone's okay. Did Max say how she died?"

"Car crash."

"Damn."

He didn't correct her on her language. "Yep."

"I feel horrible. I mean, I didn't particularly like either of them, but they just got married."

Damien nodded. "Hey, Cammie?"

"Hmmm?"

"…Do you ever talk to Mary?"

She put her back to him, taking in a breath. "No. After the funeral, she told me that she never wanted to see me again. She said that it wasn't my fault, but seeing me hurt. She said that she and I weren't that close anyways."

"But you were, weren't you?"

Cameron shrugged. "There are billions of people in this world, Damien. If I ever needed another woman like Mary, I guaranty you I could find one. There is no individuality."

"I don't think so," Damien said. "Everyone had something about them that makes them different. If you left me, I'd never find another you. And I certainly couldn't find another you, Samantha."

The baby giggled, looking up at her father. "Hi!"

"It was raining this morning, huh?"

Damien nodded. "Yeah, Cam. God, he hates the rain."

"Now more than ever."

* * *

We decided to tell Tabitha first. She was in her room, doing her homework.

"Another cheating thing?" She asked as we walked into the room. I shook my head.

"Tabitha, we got something to tell you," Fang said.

"Max, you already said that I can see Adeem tomorrow. He can't tell me no now."

"I know, sweetie," I said. "This is about…Victoria."

Tabitha looked back down at her paper. "What about her?"

"She…got into an accident, Tabitha," Fang said slowly.

"Is she hurt?"

"She's dead."

Tabitha looked up, looking sad. "Like not coming back, dead?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"That's…bad."

"Yeah," Fang said. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, looking like she was going to cry. "Is Bone okay?"

Fang went over to her and gave her a kiss on the head. "You let us worry about that stuff, okay?"

Next were the boys. Cody and James were playing with Tyler and Lucas in their bedroom. Great, we get to tell them all at once.

"Guys, we got something to tell you," Fang started.

Cody climbed onto Tyler's bed. "What?"

"It's about Victoria," I said, getting onto Lucas's bed. James climbed into my lap. "Do you know what it means to die?"

Lucas nodded. "Means you go to Heaven."

"No," Tyler said. "It means that you might. You could go to Hell."

James frowned, cuddling against me. "Is that where Mommy is?"

"No, sweetie, no."

He smiled. "Good."

"Did Victoria die?" Tyler asked.

Fang nodded a little. "Yeah, Ty."

Cody frowned. "No see her no more?"

"No see her no more," I repeated back to him. All the boys except for Tyler began to start crying. Fang and I were trying to comfort them when Tyler spoke.

"See, Dad? See?" He was standing up, looking at his father with joy. "I didn't say nothin' bad. I'm not screwed up. See? Daddy?"

For the first time in a long time, Fang embraced his son. Tyler started crying.

"See? I'm not messed up. Tell Max that she fixed me. Please? Please?"

"Shhh," Fang said, running his hand down his son's head. "Shhh. I'm sorry, Tyler. I really am. I never meant any of that."

"I'm not screwed up," he said with conviction. "I'm not."

Lucas sniffled, looking at me. "Where'd Vickie go? To Heaven or Hell?"

I stared at him. "Heaven, baby."

"What about Bone?" He asked, trying to stop crying but not being able to.

"He's alright," I told him, trying to tend to both Cody and James. "He's fine."

* * *

There is nothing on earth that will get rid of your pain forever. There's drugs and alcohol that will put it off for awhile, but it never stays away. There's always some down time, between getting high or drunk, when you feel the pain, worse than ever. That's what draws addicts back every time. Bone though, he wanted something to fix his pain permanently and the only way to do that was to die.

For the first hour, Bone considered this, but he couldn't do it. He refused to pass off his pain to the ones that he loved, and that's exactly what death would do. It was horrible, feeling like this. Before, at least he had time to be numb. When he was in that crash with Carrie and Carol, he was in the hospital too. They had him on so many pain pills that it was hard for him to feel anything.

It wasn't fair. He was in as much pain as if he had been in the crash all over again. What had he done? What? It wasn't right. They should have given him morphine just like last time. Bone wanted to soar above all of this, as if he was the one with wings, not Max. He wanted to be far away from this all and never come back to it. Living in memories would be hard, but it would be better than this. Anything would be better than this. He didn't need this. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't.

* * *

**Thanksgiving**

Bone wasn't well. And he had Lance. I didn't want him to have the baby, but we couldn't keep him from his child.

"Fang, I just want to check," I insisted. "Please? We'll drop the kids at my mom's and then go check on him and Lance. Come on."

So that's what we did. After we had the kids over there, we left for Bone's in my car. When we got up to his apartment, it was eerily quiet. Bone always had his music on, but not anymore. It was sad. Why is everything so sad now?

Fang knocked on the door. "Bone? Open up, buddy. It's us."

"Here, I got a key," I said, making Fang frown. "What? He has a key to our place."

Fang shook his head as I opened the door. The place was a mess. Bone was passed out on the couch, his dogs sleeping on the floor underneath him.

"Bone?"

He didn't move. I got worried. "Bone!"

Opening his eyes slowly, he said, "Get out."

"Bone, we came to check on you," Fang said, going over to him. I went into the nursery. Lance moaning a little. It didn't look like Bone had fed him a day or two and hadn't changed him.

"Baby," I said, rushing to him. He was so dirty. Gently, I picked him up.

"Get out!" Bone was yelling in the other room. "Where is she? Max, get the hell out!"

I walked out of the baby's bedroom. "Bone, when's the last time you-"

"Shut up and give me my son!"

"No," I said, holding the baby close to me. Fang grabbed his arm.

"Bone, come on. Let us just take-"

"No!" He yelled, trying to fight Fang. Nina shot up, thinking that Fang was hurting her master. She didn't bite Fang, but she was in a defensive stance. I ran out of the apartment, taking the baby with me. He was crying.

Once I got to the car, I put him in Jason's carrier, which had been left in the car. Ten minutes later, Fang came out of the building.

"Let's go," he said, getting into the drivers side.

"He's mad?" I asked.

Fang nodded. "I'm not leaving that baby with him, Max."

"Neither am I."

* * *

When I got to Mom's, I bathed Lance and fed him. Then he went to sleep in Jason's carrier. Bone sent me a text that told me to keep Lance, that he didn't want him right now. Yeah, like there was a chance he was getting him back.

"Is he okay?" Mom asked.

"Just some diaper rash," I said. "He needs to sleep a little and will probably be fine."

She shook her head. "I told all of you not to leave-"

"We messed up, okay?" I went and sat down on the couch. James climbed into my lap.

"Are you sad?"

I gave him a kiss. "Shhh. I'm just tired."

"Go see Grandma?"

I sighed. "Later, James, okay?"

He nodded, laying his head against me. "Night-night, Max."

I was half asleep when Tabitha came into the room.

"Max?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you go see Bone?"

"Mmhmm."

"Oh…can I go over to Adeem's?"

"Nope."

"Please?"

"No, Tabitha."

"That's not fair!"

"Tabitha, stop, okay?" I opened my eyes. "You're not exactly my main concern right now, okay?"

"But holding James is?"

James made a face at her. "Go away, Tabby. Max is sleepin'."

"But-"

"Tabitha," Fang said, coming into the room. "Stop, okay? Go play with Tyler or Lucas."

"Tyler went to Alex's house this year. He's not even here."

I frowned. "He did?"

"Drake took him over there."

I'd think, as one of his parent's, someone could have told me about that. "Tabitha, I doubt that his family wants you over there."

"Yes they do. He asked. I was on the phone with him."

Great... I looked at Fang. "It's up to you, babe."

Fang smiled. "No, you cannot go."

How'd I know that was coming?

"I hate you! I hope that you die!" Tabitha ran off. Iggy made a face.

"Nice, Fang. You raised a winner."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Fang, really? Why couldn't she go?"

"If you wanted her to, you shouldn't have let me decide," he said, shrugging. After he left the room. James got out of my lap.

"Where are you going, James?"

"Gonna go find Cody," he said, walking off. Lucas came into the room as he was leaving.

"Hi, Luke," I said.

"Is Bone okay?" He asked, coming to sit down next to me on the couch.

"He's fine," I said, smiling at him. "Lance is here."

"Bone's not though?"

"No, Luke. He's not."

He frowned. "Oh."

"It's okay though," I said, running a hand through his hair. "He's fine."

"If you say so."

"I do."

* * *

James found his friend in a bedroom. He climbed up onto the bed with him. "We need to do somethin'."

Cody cocked his head to the side. He was trying to play with Car and Remy. "'bout what?"

"Bone."

Nodding his head, Cody said, "Yeah."

"What you wanna do?"

"Make him a card," James decided. "Go get paper."

Cody nodded. "Watch Car for me. I'mma take Remy with me. He's happy today."

James nodded. "Hi, Car."

Giggling, Cody got off the bed, taking his stuffed doll with him. He went to find his grandma. She was in the kitchen.

"Granny," he said, going to tug on her pant leg. "Paper!"

"I need you to speak in a sentence, Cody," she said, like always. He frowned.

"I wan' paper."

"Alright," she said. "Go in my office and it's in the bottom drawer."

"Not 'llowed to go in there, Granny."

"If I tell you to do it, you can."

He nodded, walking off to go get it. When he went into the office, there was Total. Cody had never met the dog before and thought that he was a toy, as the Scottie was taking a nap.

"Puppy," he said, going over to pet it. "My puppy!"

"What are you doing, you little brat?" The dog growled, angry that he had been woken up.

Cody began to cry loudly. Why was his toy growling? He held Remy close to him, screaming for his mommy.

* * *

"What did you do?" I snatched Cody up, glaring at the dog. "We let you come to one family thing and you hurt my baby? What the hell?"

Cody wrapped his arms around my neck, sniffling.

"I didn't hurt him," Total said, closing his eyes again. "He was touching me."

"Are you okay?" I asked Cody, looking at him. "Did he bite you?"

He shook his head. "He scared me!"

I sighed heavily. "You're alright?"

"Yeah," he said, wiggling in my arms. I sat him back down and he went over to Mom's desk, opening it. "Gotta get paper, Mommy."

"Cody!" James walked into the room. "Take long time."

"Sorry," Cody said, getting the paper out. "Bye-bye, Mommy."

"Bye," I said, eyeing Total. "Look, dog, do not hurt my kids."

"I did no such thing," the black animal said, clearly offended.

"Whatever," I said, walking back out of the room. I checked on Lance, but he was still sleeping. I was walking out of the room I had left him in, when I felt hands around my waist.

"How are you?" Fang asked, kissing the side of my neck. "Good? The baby alright?"

"Yeah," I said as we moved back into the room. Fang closed the door with his foot before walking us over to the bed.

"Let's nap," Fang said.

"No," I whined.

"Yes," he whined back, pulling me down with him. We settled into the guest bed, cuddling against each other.

"I think that this is Nudge and Drake's room," I said, kissing his nose.

"Then they won't mind," he said, kissing my head. "I love you."

"I love you too."

It was quiet for awhile. We weren't talking nor were we sleeping. We were just…laying there. Then Lance began to cry. I went and got him.

"I think that he's hungry," I said, lifting him out of the carrier. "Come on, Fang."

He got up and followed me out of the room.

* * *

Cameron and Damien decided to stay home for Thanksgiving. Seeing as his parents were out of town, it was just the two of them, Peter, and, much to Cameron's displeasure, Samantha.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked, walking down the staircase around ten. "Come get back in bed."

"I can't," he called from the kitchen. "I'm cooking."

Frowning, she walked into the kitchen. "Cooking what?"

"Well, not turkey. That's too hard," he admitted. "But I'm making mashed potatoes."

"That's it?"

He shook his head. "I bought corn. Oh, and rolls."

"Potatoes, corn, and rolls."

He nodded. "Uh-huh."

"That's it?"

He frowned. "Are you not happy? I mean, I could just get us a pizza…I guess…"

Cameron went over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "No, no. It's fine."

He smiled again. "Okay."

Giving him a kiss, Cameron said, "It's early. I'm going back upstairs."

"Okay," he said, going back to the potatoes. "Take Sam, will ya?"

Samantha was on the floor, playing with stuffed animals. When she heard her name, the almost two year old looked up. "Hi."

Cameron sighed, going to pick up her daughter. "Hi."

Giggling, Samantha laid her head on the woman's shoulder. "Mama."

Cameron looked down at the baby. "What did Daddy do to your hair, huh?"

Damien had to smile as Cameron walked out of the room, talking to her daughter. This had to be a first, so he'd have to get a photo later, and make sure it got marked in his family photo album that no one knew about because then they would make fun of him. Yeah…

* * *

"How come your dad and stepmother are always taking in other people's babies?"

Tabitha shrugged. It was the Monday after beak and her and Adeem weren't actually in trouble for once, so they were able to go out to recess like everyone else. Instead of running around and playing, they just sat in the grass and talked. Tabitha had been afraid that he'd ditch her to go have a better time with some of his friends, but he hadn't.

"I don't know," she said, picking at the grass. "They're just like kids, I guess."

"I'm glad my parents don't do that."

Again, she just shrugged. "I still have my own room, so I'm fine."

"What about if the baby that she's about to have is a girl? Then what?"

"It won't be."

"What makes you say that?"

Again, all she could do was shrug. That seemed like the only thing she was able to do anymore. "I don't know."

They were quiet again for a minute. Then they saw one of the teachers approaching them.

"What did you steal?" She asked, sighing.

"Nothing," Adeem said, offended that she would ask. "Maybe he's coming over here because _you_ stole something."

"I doubt it."

The teacher was right in front of them now. Tabitha was pretty sure that he was Tyler's teacher.

"What are you two doing?" He asked. He seemed nice, but it was just a façade. Tabitha knew that.

"Nothing," Adeem said, clearly hiding something. Tabitha frowned. He _had_ stolen something.

"Well, why aren't you playing with the other kids?"

So he was one of those teachers. Ugh. She couldn't stand it.

"'cause we don't wanna," Adeem said. "Why do you care?"

The teacher seemed shocked that he would speak to him this way. "Well, I just thought that maybe something was wrong."

Tabitha pulled her knees to her chest, laying her head on her knees. "Are we in trouble?"

"No," he said. "Mrs. Drey has been talking to me though."

Adeem frowned. So they were in trouble. "We didn't do it. She just hates us."

"I was actually wondering if you wanted to be moved to my class," he said.

"Both of us?" Adeem asked.

"No. Just you."

Tabitha frowned. Were they really that bad? Did they really need to be separated?

"No," Adeem said. "I like my class."

The teacher paused. "I'm sure that you do, but-"

"We don't wanna change classes," Tabitha said. "Not our fault Mrs. Drey is mean."

"Yeah," Adeem said, nodding his head in agreement."

The teacher sighed. "Alright. I was just telling you that it was brought to my attention."

They watched him walk back over to where the teachers sat. He and Mrs. Drey said something to each other before looking in the direction of Adeem and Tabitha. Why was everyone so concerned with them? You'd think stealing was a crime or something.

* * *

Lance was adjusting to his new home nicely. I had him and Jay sharing a crib for now. At the moment, I was feeding him. He didn't seem to like bottles much, but he was getting used to it.

"Mommy?" Cody walked into the room. "I went poop."

"Good boy," I said absently. "You flush?"

"Yep!"

"You wash your hands?"

"…No."

"Cody, go wash your hands."

He frowned, stomping off. Lance got sleepy again so I put him back in the crib. Neo was in the playpen in the living room with Jason. I was home alone with the boys today, so it was really quiet.

"Hi, Max," James said as I walked into the living room. "Cody pooped."

"Thank you for telling me," I said, rolling my eyes. The boys seemed to think that this was some sort of accomplishment, pooping. I have no idea why. "What do you want for lunch James?"

"Um…Hotdogs and mac 'n cheese!"

That's why I love him the most. "You know what, James, I think that's what we'll have, just because you said it."

He clapped his hands, smiling. "Okay!"

I laughed, pulling him to me. "You know that I love you, right James?"

He nodded. "I love you too, Max."

"Good."

* * *

**December**

Adeem was over, so Tabitha was happy. It was also Saturday, but when I asked her about our girls thing, she said that she'd rather just be with Adeem. Whatever. Like I care that she replaced me with a boy…I've got James, anyways.

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands," James sang, doing so. "If you're happy and you know, and you really wanna show it, if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!"

Cody frowned. "Shhh! Loud."

I rolled my eyes, laying down on the couch. Today, Fang was working. It had basically just been me and him back and forthing it recently. We didn't stay open all night anymore, but I think that Luther would understand.

"Max, right I can be the president?" Tyler came into the room with Alex. "Alex don't believe me."

"Doesn't believe you."

"Whatever."

I sighed. "You both can be whatever you want to be."

"See?" He looked at her hard.

Alex shook her head. "I said that you couldn't 'cause no one would vote for you."

"They would too! Wouldn't you vote for me?"

"Depends," Alex said, walking back up the stairs.

"On what?"

"If Jamie was running."

"Alex!"

I rolled m eyes as they left. I was only half conscious when Adeem and Tabitha came downstairs.

"Is she asleep?"

"No," Tabitha said. "Probably not."

They both stared at me for a second. I internally groaned. Why wouldn't they just leave me alone? Tabitha looked at him.

"Okay, maybe she is asleep."

"So should we go?"

"Y-"

"Stop," I said, sitting up. "What are you talking about?"

"I told you that she wasn't asleep," Tabitha complained.

"Where did you two think you were going?" I asked.

"Just outside," Tabitha said.

"No," I said, laying back down. "Now move. You're blocking the TV."

"Yeah," James said from the floor. "Move!"

Tabitha made a face at him before moving. "There, happy?"

She grabbed Adeem's hand and led him back up the stairs. James looked over at me.

"Okay now?"

"Yep," I said.

Lucas was with Fang at work today, so it was kind of quiet. The whole Jeb thing has hand me feeling weird recently. Lucas isn't like me and Fang were when we were kids. He's just…normal. If he wakes up and night and sees Fang watching a scary movie, he gets scared from just the though of it. Then he has to sleep in bed with us. When he falls down and cuts his knee, sure he gets right back up, but when he gets home, he cries because he knows that I like to baby him. Lucas isn't special. He's just himself.

Neo started crying from the playpen. Groaning, I got up and checked on him. He needed a diaper change. I took him in the other room to do that. James followed me.

"What you doin', Max?"

"Changing his diaper," I said, going into the bathroom. "Can't you go somewhere else, James? Go play with Cody."

"He calls me loud."

"You are loud."

He giggled. "I know."

I rolled my eyes. "James? Do you like living with me and Fang?"

"Yes!"

"Would you rather live with your grandma?"

Trinity had suggested this the other day. It was bothering me for some reason.

"Nope!"

"What about with Cameron and Damien?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Max?"

"What?"

"Gonna make me go?"

"No, of course not," I said. "I love having you here. I just wanted to make sure that you liked it here."

He nodded. "Love you, Max."

"I love you too," I said, smiling at him.

* * *

Fang was sitting at the counter, watching as Lucas restocked. "You're really good, buddy."

"Am I going to get my quarter?"

Fang smiled a little. A quarter for the job Bone normally did? China got it right with child labor. "We'll have to see."

Lucas frowned. How could he brag to Ari about being rich if he didn't have a quarter? "What else do I gotta do, Dad?"

"I need you to pick up all the trash on the floor. Finish restocking first, though."

"Okay," Lucas said dutifully.

Fang pulled out his phone and started texting. A few minutes later and the door opened.

"Hi!"

Fang glanced up. It was Samantha. She hadn't seen him yet. She was talking to Lucas. He looked up.

"Not now, Sam. I'm working."

Cameron smiled, looking at Lucas. "You're working, Luke?"

"Yes," he said. "Hi, Cameron."

"Hi," she said, going up the counter. Damien came in a second later.

"Hey, Lu-"

"Not now, Damien!" Lucas didn't look up. "I'm working!"

"Alright, alright," Damien said, frowning.

"Hi!" Samantha went up to the counter. Then she looked behind it and saw Fang. "Daddy!"

She wrapped her arms around Damien's leg, almost tripping him. "Hey, Sam, stop it."

She moaned loudly, hiding her face. Fang was scary. Sighing, Cameron picked the baby up. "Stop it, Samantha. There's nothing wrong with you."

Fang frowned. He really didn't like the kid. "What do you need, Damien?"

"Order," he said.

"Lucas, go into the back and get the box that says Damien's name on it, alright?'

He nodded, getting up to go do it. This was a lot of work for a quarter, but it would so be worth it.

"What are you guys doing today?" Fang asked as Samantha settled out. She began to fall asleep on her mother's shoulder.

"Nothing," Cameron said, though he had directed the question towards Damien. He figured she'd answer though, what with her leader complex.

"Here you go," Lucas called, coming into the room. He sat a box on the counter. "Now do I get a quarter?"

Fang sighed, pulling out his wallet. "Here. If you finish restocking though, I'll give you another quarter. What do you say, bubba?"

Lucas held his quarter above his head, staring at it thoughtfully. "Nope. One is enough."

"What are you going to do with one quarter?" Cameron asked, looking slightly amused.

"Show it to my friends. Show 'em how rich I am," Lucas said, shrugging. "Maybe buy Mommy something nice."

"But he can't even buy a candyb-"

"Shut up, Damien," Cameron said, frowning at him. "That's a very good idea, Lucas."

"But-"

"Shush," Cameron said, glaring at her husband. "God, can you not just be a good sport about something?"

"'Good sport'? What are we, eighty?"

She frowned. "Fang, you better ring him up, because I'm about to not let him buy anything at all."

Fang shook his head, internally thinking that Damien was whipped, not realizing just how alike he and Damien really were.

* * *

The next day, Bone called and wanted to meet up at park. It was only about seven in the morning and the sun was just rising. The sunrise looked beautiful on the pond in the center of the park. We were at the edge of it, sitting in the grass.

Neither of us had said a word since we met there, and it was starting to get awkward. How could someone that you felt so comfortable around for years suddenly become a stranger?

"I'm sorry," I blurted out.

Bone looked at me and then started laughing, loudly. I didn't find him funny.

"What? What is funny about that?"

"You," he said, shaking his head. Then a sad look came onto his face again. "You don't say that you're sorry. Ever."

"That's not true," I said, frowning. "You just assumed that because I didn't say sorry about Carrie and Carol."

"Were you sorry?"

"For their deaths? Yes. For you? No."

He looked at the water, glowing orange from the sun's reflection. "Why not?"

"Because you didn't deserve it."

For the first time, Bone seemed to hate me. When he looked at me, there wasn't that acceptance that it normally had. "What do you mean that I didn't deserve it? Do you not know what I've gone through?"

I had brought myself out here and now I was going to have to learn to swim or drown. "What I meant was, you've wallowed in your pain long enough about them. You had been when I first got here too. Don't become Luther. Don't let the pain eat you inside out-"

"Don't you even pretend to know my pain."

Suddenly, I was as enraged with him as he was with me. "Your pain? Your pain? You don't even know the definition of pain. Goddamn it, Bone, wake up! You're not the only one in this world that has lost something. You're not the only one that grew up fucked up. You're not alone, not even close."

It was silent for a second. Bone looked away. "I am alone, Max. You don't get it. You can't understand."

"Stop saying that! I've lost too, Bone. I've lost so much."

"And I haven't? I have lost so much more than you."

"And what if you have? Does that entitle you to neglect your son for two days?"

He turned his eyes back to mine. It was stone on stone, neither making a dent in the other. "You didn't give me a chance! You took him before-"

"What were you going to do? Let the baby sit in his own filth? Bone, that's inhuman."

His nostrils flared. "Shut up, you! You don't get anything. Just shut up!"

Bone has always been my protector. When Fang was yelling at me, when Luther was trying to fire me. He was always on my side. Now, it was like I was just another person to him. I didn't matter. Not in the slightest. It hurt, but it also felt good. I hadn't stood on my own in a battle for awhile. It's like the first time you get on a bike again after years. You feel free, you feel in control.

I shook my head. "You're no better than Luther, you good for nothing man. What? Am I just supposed to raise your son too? You don't deserve Carol, you never did."

He almost slapped me. His hand went up to do so, but then he just stopped. Face changing, he sat there, frozen. Realization seemed to flood to his eyes, as I'm sure the same did to mine. We were Max and Bone. Bone and Max. Imaginary siblings. Was he really going to his last living sibling?

Then I realized something else. I'm not his sister. I'm never going to be. I can't be. It's not fair to me, to him, to anyone. Living this lie was just a quick fix. It's like a nicotine patch. It helps for awhile, but then you realize that it's just another crutch. Are you really cured of something if you can't even stand up on your own without something else? Bone needed Carrie just as much as he ever did; he just hid it with his need for me. Now I've pulled the crippled man's crutch away from him and he was crawling away.

Slowly, Bone retracted his hand. Again, we fell into an awkward silence. For the past few years, we could not say anything to each other all day and feel comfortable. Now, it hadn't been an hour and we were dead on the water. It's amazing what a change of perspective will do to you.

"I can't stay here," Bone whispered into the early morning.

I watched as two birds fought over a piece of bread. It looked like they were going to fight to the death, until one finally got it and just flew off, leaving the other bird dazed, confused, and hungry.

"I know."

"Too much has happened here."

"I know."

"It's not fair, that I have to leave, but the memories aren't going anywhere. It's me or insanity."

"Yep."

"I have to choose me, Max. You know that."

"Yeah."

He looked at me again, the acceptance momentarily replaced with hatred, now replaced again with a need to be understand. "You'd do it too, right Max? You'd leave too, right?"

No, I wanted to yell. I wouldn't leave the only family I've ever really known. I wouldn't leave the people that love me the most. I couldn't. I would stay with them no matter what. I would die before I left them. I'd give my life to be with the kids that I love.

But isn't that the same choice I was forced with so many years ago, the morning I decided to go with the school just to save them?

Tears stinging my eyes, I looked at him. "Yep."

* * *

**One more chapter and this too, will be over. **


	30. Chapter 30

Living

Chapter 30

After awhile, life just becomes mundane. You get used to the way things are, the way they should be. Then every one of your friends starts leaving, until it's the weakest ones left. Finally, it's just four people looking at each other, wondering what happened to all the others.

Damien blinked. "Got any fives?"

"Go fish."

Why would four adults be play Go Fish? Mainly because none of us had money to be spending on poker, and it's just a fucking awesome game.

"Max," Tyler called, coming into the room. "Lance is crying and it's getting annoying."

I sighed, getting up to get him. "Look at my cards and I'll kill you. Better yet, play for me, Tyler."

He smiled, climbing up into my chair. "Alright!"

I walked out of the kitchen and into the nursery. Lance was crying loudly and Cody was hiding under the dresser.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, picking up Lance.

"Scared. Loud."

Lance was just upset. I kept rocking him. "Shhh, Lance. It's alright."

After a minute, he fell asleep. I laid him back down next to Jason. He hadn't been affected by Lance's cries, which was odd for him. I gave him a kiss and Lance before going to pick up Cody.

"You're getting heavy," I told him, carrying the three year old out of the room. "What were you doing in their room?"

"Try and find James. Hide and seek."

I sat him down on the ground. "Go find him, but leave Jason and Lance alone."

I went back into the kitchen. "Up, Tyler."

He frowned, getting up. "Fine."

"What was wrong?" Fang asked as I sat back down.

"Nothing. Cody just woke him up."

Samantha, who was in her daddy's lap, looked at me. "Hi."

"Hi."

Then she looked at Fang. Laying her head back against Damien's chest, she moaned. "Daddy."

"Shhh," Damien mumbled. "You're alright."

She started sucking on her thumb, something Cameron has made obvious that she doesn't like. She reached over and took the baby's thumb from her mouth. Samantha yelled at her, cuddling against Damien even more.

"Are we playing or what?"

Damien glanced at Fang. "What's with the attitude?"

"There isn't one. I just don't care to see this you guys play with your kid."

Cameron frowned. "What do you call what we do with your kids half the time?"

Fang glared at her. "I just don't like your kid, okay?"

"No," Damien got up. "Not okay."

"Fang, shut your mouth," I said, shocked that he was saying that.

Cameron shrugged. It was clear that she didn't like Samantha that much either, but that was still her daughter. She got up.

"Fine," Cameron said. "Come on, Damien."

"Where are you going?" I asked, already knowing.

"Somewhere that our daughter's welcome," Cameron said, walking out of the kitchen. Damien frowned, looking at Fang.

"You're a jerk, Fang," he said before following his wife out of the house.

"Fang, why did you do that?"

He got up. "I just didn't want to deal with the kid, alright?"

"No," I said. "Fang, you cannot act like that."

"Don't tell me what to do, he said, going to get a drink.

My stomach hurt. "Fang-"

"I'm not in the mood, alright?"

"No, Fang. You just insulted them! That's their baby, Fang. What if Cameron said that she didn't like Jason? You don't do that."

"I'm a man, Max. You don't tell me what to do, got it?"

I scoffed at him. "No way am are you going to pull that, Fang."

"Pull what? I'm the man."

"Since when?"

He started to walk out of the room. I looked over at his discarded cards. Fang had been losing. That must have put him in a bad mood.

"Fang, did you take your pain pills today?" I asked, getting up. That probably also contributed to it.

"No, I'm out," he yelled from the living room. "You need to go refill my prescription."

"I needed to nothing," I mumbled, picking up the cards. After I was done, I called Cameron. She didn't answer. Sighing, I went into the living room. Fang was in the chair, watching TV.

"What's on?" I asked, going to sit down on the couch

"Shut up, alright? I don't want to deal with you right now."

I frowned. "Fang, what's your problem? Sudden attitude change, much?"

"Nothing," he said, crossing his arms.

Sighing, I laid down on the couch. "What did I do, Fang? Please tell me. It's making my stomach hurt."

Fang was silent for a minute. "I just really didn't want them over here to begin with. Then I couldn't play poker, and my pills are all gone."

"Fang, why didn't you refill them before today?"

"I've been working, Max! Today was the one day that we could get Gasman to agree to watch the store for us and you tell Cameron and Damien to come over."

"Fang, I just wanted to hang out with two of our friends. Sue me."

"Shut up, Max. Don't use that tone with me."

"Who do you think you are?" I sat up. "My father? Newsflash, Fang, you're my husband, and you will not talk that way to me, understand?"

Fang got up. "I'll talk to you how I want to talk to you."

"Fuck you."

"Is that all you can say? Fuck? What a slut."

"You fucking-"

"Max!" James came running into the room. He climbed into my lap. Cody came in much slower.

"Daddy!" Cody sniffled, reaching up for Fang. "James mean."

"Cody mean," James whined, leaning against me. As always, Fang's hardness with me was lost on the children. Tenderly, he picked up Cody.

"What happened?" Fang asked, giving Cody a kiss on the head. "Did you two fight?"

"Yes," Cody said, wrapping his arms around Fang's neck. He gave Fang a kiss. "James mean. Leave, James."

"No!" James looked up at me. "He tried to find me, but he cheated. He said that you called me, Max. You no call me. Then him tags me. Cheater!"

Cody looked up at Fang. "No. Think Mommy called. Mommy no call. I win!"

"No!" James did not look happy. "Max."

I sighed. "Cody, say sorry. You did cheat."

He started whining. "No. Daddy, no!"

"Just say sorry, Code," Fang said, bouncing him a little. "Now."

"Sorry," Cody cried, wiggling in Fang's arms. Fang sat him down and he ran off.

James laid his head on my chest. "Cody baby."

I rolled my eyes. "Fang, about-"

"Shut up, Max," he said, walking off up the stairs. James jumped out of my lap.

"Wait," he called, running after him. "Fang!"

Fang stopped and picked him up before going up the stairs. What did I even do?

* * *

"Fang was in a bad mood," Cameron commented, laying down on the couch. Damien sat down Samantha's diaper bag before setting his daughter down.

"Yeah, well."

"That's it? If I said that I didn't like her, you'd-"

"Cameron, you tell me everyday that you don't like her."

She frowned, but noted his point. Samantha, however, was just glad to be home. She went over to her stuffed tiger that was on the floor and sat down. Damien smiled, going to sit next to her.

"Damien, your head's blocking the TV."

"Shhh, Cameron," Damien said, smiling as Samantha happily cuddled with her tiger. She loved cuddling with things.

"Da-ee," she said, smiling at him.

"What?"

Samantha began to giggle. Getting up, she decided to go share her joy with her mother. As she was walking, she tripped and fell, her knee landing on one of her blocks, cuddling it.

"Baby," Damien went and picked her up. She was crying.

"Oh my God, is she bleeding?" Cameron got up and took the baby from Damien. Samantha sniffled. The cut didn't hurt that bad. She had just wanted Daddy to hold her. Now, though, she had Mommy.

Cameron didn't notice that Samantha had stopped crying.

"God, Damien, can you not watch her? God," Cameron continued, walking up the stairs. She took her to the guest bathroom, where they had Band-Aids. Cameron sat her on the sink and got a pink one from the box.

"Mama?"

"Shhh," Cameron said, putting the bandage on her knee. "Look, its pink. You like pink, right?"

Samantha cocked her head to the side, staring at her mother. Recently, Mommy had been a lot nicer and it was great. "Mama."

"Yeah," Cameron said, giving her a kiss on the head. Then she felt Damien's eyes on her and she blushed. "Damien, go take her back downstairs."

He shook his head, coming into the bathroom. "Wow."

"What?" Cameron asked, handing him the child.

"You were worried about her."

"No, I wasn't," Cameron said, sounding offended. "And even if I were, so what? Am I not allowed to be worried about my child? Huh?"

"Of course you are," Damien said, giving Samantha a kiss on the head. "It's just that you're normally not. I like seeing you all worried about Sam. She love you, ya know."

Cameron stared at her one day away from being two daughter. "I know."

* * *

"Are you still upset?"

Fang glanced at me. "I just want my pills. And some aspirin."

"You have a headache?" I asked. I had come up to the attic to talk to him. It was late and Cody and James were already in bed, along with all the other kids.

"Yeah," Fang said, not moving from his spot on the couch.

Cautiously, I sat down next to him. Fang noticed this and frowned.

"Max, are you afraid of me?" He put an arm around me, pulling my body to his. "Huh? Don't be. I'd never hurt you. I never have and don't plan on ever."

I stared at him. "You just snap at me a lot. I didn't do anything wrong, you know."

Fang gave me a kiss on the head. "I know. Hey, it's Saturday night. Let's do something."

I groaned. "I'm tired."

"Not that," he said, shaking his head. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"No," I said, looking at him. "I want to…cuddle."

Fang shrugged, nuzzling his head against my neck. "While watching a movie?"

"No. In the bedroom, not up here."

Sighing, he stood up. "Come on."

When we got to our bedroom, Fang turned on the TV and laid down. I frowned. I really didn't want to watch TV.

"Fang, can't we turn that off?" I asked, laying down next to him. "I want to be near you, not some serial killer montage."

Fang frowned. "I don't know what montage means, but this isn't that bad of show, Max. Besides, Tim Bundy is a wonderful person to learn about."

"Fang."

He sighed, turning off the TV before setting the remote on the night stand. "Fine, Max."

I cuddled against him. "Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Then give me a kiss."

Fang gave me two, one on the head, one on my lips. "Your lips are cracked, Max."

"So?"

"Why?" He licked them. "I hate when mine are cracked."

I frowned. Now my lips are all spitty. "I don't mind it much."

He started on my ears, like normal. I closed my eyes, sighing as his hand rubbing my stomach. "God I love your ears."

I opened my eyes again, staring up at the ceiling. "I went out today."

"Did you?"

"Yeah. To pick up Gasman."

"Mmmm."

"Yeah, and I stopped by the pharmacy and refilled your prescription."

He moved back from me. "And you didn't tell me?"

I shrugged. "I didn't think that you should take them so late. Wait until the morning."

"No," he said, getting up. "My back is killing me, Max. I'll take them if I want to take them."

I shook my head. "Whatever, Fang."

* * *

"First day of break!" Lucas yelled. It was six days later and Friday.

"Yeah," I said, smiling at him. Tyler got into the care next.

"Can I spend the night as Alex's house?" Tyler asked, buckling his seat belt.

"I don't know," I said. "Talk to your father."

"Why? Isn't he at work?"

"No," I said as Tabitha got into the car. "Damien's watching it for us. I'm going to drop you guys off at home and then go relieve him."

"You're going to make him pee?" Lucas asked, giggling at his own joke. Tyler frowned.

"When did Max say anything about pee?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "I want to go to the store with you, Max."

I was in shock, happiness flooding me. "Oh, alright. But if you come, I can't bring you home until I get off."

"What time is that?"

"Eleven at night," I said. "When I close the store."

"Okay," she said, smiling. "I don't have to go to bed, Max. It's Friday."

"I know," I said. "Do you boys want to come to work with me t-"

"No," Tabitha said. "They can't come."

"Good!" Lucas said. "I don't wanna. I'm going to play with my daddy."

"Have fun," Tabitha said.

"I will."

* * *

With Tyler gone to Alex's house and Gasman out, Lucas was left with only his father to play with. Cody and James were spending the night with his granny, but Lucas had declined, wanting to spend time with his father. Unfortunately, his father wanted to spend time with someone else.

"Come on, Jason," Fang said. "Can you say daddy? Huh?"

The almost one year old giggled, patting his father's arm. Neo stood up and walked over to them, carrying a stuffed dog. Neo wasn't talkative, which worried Max. Fang didn't mind it so much. Besides, the doctor said that he just didn't like talking. Fang was fine with that.

"Hi, Neo," Fang said, grabbing the boy. Neo giggled as his uncle of sorts sat him in his lap.

"Dad, I wanna play a game," Lucas said from the couch.

"Later, bubba," Fang said as Jason began to babble senselessly. "We'll play video games and watch TV together."

"But-"

"Promise," Fang cut him off as Neo gave him a kiss. "Thank you, Neo."

Lucas frowned. "I'm going to make a pretend dad and he's going to be better than you."

Fang was already distracted again. "That's great, Lucas. Have fun."

Why did people always want him to have fun when they were mad at him? It made no sense.

* * *

Tabitha and I were at the store, just sitting and listening to music. Sometimes, when we were together, we didn't talk. Mom says that it's useless, being together and not speaking. I don't think so though. Tabitha and I are close already. We don't need worthless talk to fill up silence.

While I was ringing someone up though, she suddenly got up and left towards the office. After the person was gone, I called out for her and she came back.

"Where'd you go?" I asked her.

"To the office," she said, coming to sit back down.

"Why?"

"I thought I heard something," she said, shrugging. I frowned.

"Like a…ghost?"

"No! I'm not a baby, Max. I don't believe in that stuff."

"Then what?" I asked, glad it wasn't a ghost.

"I thought it might be Luther," she mumbled, looking at the table.

"What?"

She nodded. "'cause maybe he came back, you know. He could, right? It could've been him, huh?"

I stared at her. "Yeah, Tabitha, it could have been."

"I know," she said, starting to play with a pen that was on the counter. "Do you think that he's okay?"

"Of course, Tabby. He's just living on his own somewhere for awhile. That's all, baby."

"But why, Max?" She finally looked at me. With her dark brown eyes staring at me like that, it was hard to think of anything but killing Luther for making her look that way. "Aren't we any good?"

"Yes, Tabitha. Of course," I said, trying to smile at her, but it came out wrong and crooked.

"Stop saying of course like I'm stupid," she said in an accusatory tone. "I'm not."

"I know, Tabitha. Trust me, I know."

She frowned. "How come you can't just call him?"

"I have, baby. He doesn't answer."

She looked at me. "Can I call him?"

* * *

Luther was sleeping when someone kicked him. "Stop."

"Dude, you have got to get out of my house," the guy said. "All the girls are gone and my wife'll be home in the morning. Go."

Groaning, Luther got up. His body was sore. Slowly, he went around and got his clothes. It wasn't hard, as everyone else's clothes were gone. Then he grabbed his bag and left the house. He was walking down the street when he realized that he hadn't checked his phone yet. He had a few messages, but, as always, the one from Max's number stood out to him. He played it.

"Luther? How come you didn't answer?"

Tabitha…

It was silent for a second before she began again.

"Adeem asked me to marry him. Oh, and Bone ran away. Did you know that? Victoria died."

He knew. He just didn't care.

"It's okay though. We've got Lance. Why do there have to be so many boys in my house, Luther? Why didn't you just take me with you? I wouldn't have whined that much. I really wouldn't. You could come back and get me now, you know. I'll make sure that you sleep, and eat, and cut your nails instead of bite them. Please? I miss you. Just come back and get me. I'll be waiting. Bye, Luther."

He played the message at least twenty times, just sitting on the curb of a street corner. Why did it have to be so hard to be the person you wanted to be? Why? How was it that some people could feel nothing for their children and he felt so much for a kid that wasn't even his own?

Sighing, he got back up and started walking again. Living on the streets should have been hard, but it wasn't. Luther wasn't that into hygiene anyways. Now, that wasn't to say he was like Bone and liked living in filth, but he could deal without showering for a week or two. Though, he rarely was faced with that. He always had some woman that would let him stay the night and get some shower loving out of it.

"I'll be back one day, Tabitha," he whispered into the dark night. "Just not any time soon."

* * *

Tyler lay down on Alex's bed. "And? Alex, it's just not fair."

"How is it not fair?"

"Because I don't have another friend. You shouldn't either," he decided for the both of them. "Okay?"

"No," Alex said, frowning at him. "Ty, why can't you just stop being jealous? Me and Jamie being friends won't stop me from being friends with you. Promise."

It was way past bed time, but no one was home to hear them, really. Only her dad was home and he was out in the garage, doing something. Tyler rarely stayed up until midnight, but convincing Alex not to be friends with some boy was worth it.

"Still," he said. "Why can't you be friends with a girl?"

"I just want Jamie, okay? _Por que te_ care?"

"_Porque vas a_ forget me!"

"No," she said, frowning. "How could I forget you? I'm with you everyday, Tyler. If anyone, I should be mad at you."

Tyler was in shock. "Mad at me? For what?"

"Having Dan," she accused. "Every Sunday you go to church with him, not me. How is that fair, Tyler? It's not."

"_Voy a_ better myself. You're just not liking Jamie to get back at me," he retorted.

"No. Why can't I have a friend?"

"I already told you!"

She frowned, getting into bed with him. "You yell too much."

"You yell too much," he mocked in a fake voice. "Well you whine too much, Alex. I deal with that."

"No, you don't. You just yell at me and that's why I whine. Like the water cycle."

"See? You did that to be mean," Tyler said. "You know that I don't understand the water cycle."

Alex sighed. "Are you mad at me?"

"No," Tyler admitted, pulling the covers up around himself. "Te amos."

"Te amos," she said back, smiling. "I won't be friends with Jamie, if you don't want."

Tyler sighed. He knew the right thing would be to tell her that she could be friends with however she wanted. Tyler never did like doing the right thing. "Good."

* * *

When we got home, Fang was passed out on the couch, Lucas leaning against him. Tabitha was too tired and too worried about Luther to say anything. I gave her a kiss on the head, much to her protest, and sent her off to bed.

Sighing, I turned off the TV. That woke Lucas up.

"Hi, Mommy," he greeted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Is it time for food?"

"No," I said, rolling my eyes. "Go get in bed, okay?"

Lucas gave me a hug and a kiss before running up the stairs. Fang stirred a little as I took Lucas's spot and laid my head against his shoulder.

"Luke, stop."

"It's me, Fang."

He just groaned. I cuddled more heavily against him, pulling my feet up onto the couch. Fang yawned loudly before wrapping a arm around my shoulders.

"What're you doing here?" Fang asked.

"I just got off work."

He gave me a kiss on the head. "Wanna go get in bed?"

"Can you move? You look tired," I said, looking at him wearily.

Fang shrugged. "Get up for a second."

I did so. Fang laid down on the couch. Smiling, I went and grabbed a blanket before getting on top of him. Fang moved the blanket around until it was put on us just right. He messed it up a little when he opened his wings and let them out a little, but he fixed it.

"Do you wings hurt?" I asked him.

"No, baby, they're perfect. Goodnight, baby. I love you, Max."

I smiled, laying my head down on his chest. "Are you sure this isn't hurting your back?"

"I just said no," he said, kissing my head. "Just go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning baby."

"Love you," I yawned, even though it was only about a quarter to twelve.

"Love you too," he said, rubbing my back. "So much."

* * *

"Happy birthday to me?"

I groaned, cuddling closer to Fang. "What?"

"Happy birthday to me, Mommy."

Slowly I opened my eyes. "What are you talking about, Lucas?"

"It's my birthday," he said, starting to frown. "You know it's my birthday."

"Lucas, you're birthday's in January."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Remember? I told you that I got to get a prize out of the birthday box early at school because my birthday was during break. Now it's my birthday."

I looked up at Fang. "Fang!"

"What?" He asked, closing his eyes.

"It's Lucas's birthday."

"Not till January," Fang mumbled.

"No, Fang. It is in December."

Lucas looked at us in horror. "You forgot my birthday?"

I sighed. "Lucas, it's just that we have so many birthdays to remember and-"

Lucas started crying. "I hate you! I'm important too! How could you forget my birthday? I wan' my grandma!"

"Lucas-"

He ran off up the stairs. Groaning, I looked up at my husband. "What have we done?"

"I really thought his birthday was next month," Fang said, frowning. "Now that I think of it though…yeah. We screwed up."

I just sighed.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Fang asked, opening the door. Max had gone out on an emergency present buy and Dr. Martinez was trying to find a cake.

"For Lucas's birthday," Damien said. "I know that you don't like Samantha, but she's Lucas's friend, kind of. And Lucas loves us."

Fang frowned. "You guys remembered his birthday?"

"Yes," Cameron said. "It happens on the same day every year."

"Don't get sarcastic with me, Cameron."

Damien frowned, wrapping an arm around Cameron's shoulder. "Don't talk to my wife that way."

Momentarily in shock that Damien would speak to him that way, Fang back down and walked away. Damien and Cameron came into the house.

"Cameron!" Lucas cried from the couch. "They forgot my birthday!"

"Did they?" Cameron sat down Samantha's diaper bag. "I'm sorry. We got you a gift though."

Lucas ran to her and hugged her. "That's 'cause you love me. They don't."

"I know, huh?" Cameron smiled at him.

"Hi," Samantha called to Lucas from Damien's arms. Then she saw Fang. "Uh-oh."

Lucas looked at her. "Hi, Samantha."

She giggled as Damien gave her a kiss on the cheek. James and Cody strode into the room, both wearing blankets for capes.

"Hi," James said, going over to his aunt. "I'm a superhero."

She looked at him and Cody. "Which one?"

"Super James," he told her. "And Cody's my side-tick."

"Sidekick," Fang corrected.

James waved him off. "Wanna see me fly?"

"I already told you, James," Fang began. "You cannot jump off furniture. No."

James's eyes started to water. Then his realized that his uncle was there too and that distracted him from tears.

"Hi, Uncle Damien," James greeted, going over to him. "Wanna see my cape?"

Samantha wiggled in his arms until he sat her on the ground. She went over to the couch and climbed up on it, giggling. She was such a good climber. She was amazing at climbing. Even Mommy had to admit that.

* * *

"They never forget my birthday," Tyler told his brother through a mouthful of cake.

"That's because it's the same day as mine," he sister said.

Tyler looked at me with fear. "Max?"

"It's true," I told him, really just picking at my cake. "Fang, can you go get me a soda."

My oh so lovely husband stared at me blankly. "Why should I?"

Mom frowned. "What's wrong with you, Fang?

"Nothing," he said, still looking at me. I stared back.

"Fang, please."

"No," he said, looking down at Neo, who was in his lap. "Are you comfy, Neo?"

He giggled. "Yes."

"I'll get you a soda, Max," Damien offered me.

"No," I said, getting up. "I will."

Cody followed me into the kitchen. "Fight?"

"Full sentences, Cody. You're not a baby."

"Are you and Daddy fighting?"

I smiled, looking down at him. "He's just mad that we forgot Lucas's birthday."

Cody held up his hands to me. "Up?"

"Cody-"

"Can you pick me up?"

I did so. "See? It's better to talk in complete sentences."

"You're not fightin'?" He asked.

"Nope," I said, giving him a kiss on the head.

"You forget my birthday?" He asked me.

"No," I said, giving him a kiss on the head. "It's just that Lucas's come so close to Christmas that I was more concentrated on that, not him."

"Cam remember."

"Yeah, well, she's a lot smarter than me."

Cody looked at me with interest. "Is Damien?"

"Yep."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Daddy?"

I just laughed.

* * *

"What is with you today?"

Fang pulled his arm from my hand and started to brush his teeth. Not about to move, I stood there, arms crossed, glowering at him. Fang spit in the sink before pushing me gently out of the way so that he could get to the toilet.

"Are you seriously going to just pee while I'm right here? In splash distance?"

Fang ignored me. Still I stood there, watching him pee, which, by the way, isn't as great as you would think. After you've been with someone as long as we have, though, and been in the shower while they decided they needed to take a crap, peeing isn't that big of deal.

"Wash your hands," I told him as he tried to leave the bathroom. "God, you're as bad as the boys. Really, Fang?"

He sighed, going to wash them. "Happy?"

"Finally I'm getting a word?" I leaned against the counter. "Last night you were all cuddly. Did you just change because of me forgetting Luke's birthday? Last time I checked, you forgot too."

"I've got a lot on my mind, alright?"

"Defensive much? Besides, so do I."

"Yeah, but you're his mother. It's your job to remember stuff like that."

"Me?" I scoffed at him. "Fang, I am so over your sudden sexism rampage. Yeah, I'm your wife and, yes, I am Lucas's mother, but that does not make our roles any different."

Fang rolled his eyes, walking out of the bathroom. I followed him, not done with this.

"Fang, what is wrong? All you've done is stomp around since Bone left. I thought you didn't like him anyways."

Fang pulled off his shirt and got into bed. I did too. "You know, Max, you get more annoying everyday. Sometimes…"

"Sometimes what? You think about cheating on me?"

"See? That's what I'm talking about."

I put my back to him. "Well, you get annoying too, you know. I can't stand you either some days."

Fang ran a hand down my back. "Hey, that's not what I meant. I can stand you, it just gets hard. God, Max, how could we forget him?"

"Why are you so upset about this? We'll make it up to him."

"It's just…I owe so much to Lucas."

I frowned, turning to face him again. "What do you mean?"

Fang traced Kevin's name, his safety blanket. "When he was born, even before, I was an ass. I treated you bad. I treated him bad. I yelled and screamed and…I just always feel like I need to do something for him. He feels left out a lot, right? Isn't that what you used to say all the time?"

"Well, yeah."

Fang nodded. "He doesn't really have that many friends. Sure, he has friends that he sees sometimes, but not that much. He'd rather spend time with us, Max. How many people can say that? Tyler and Tabitha couldn't wait to get away from us once they started school. Even Cody has James and doesn't like being around us sometimes. Lucas is a really good kid, and I just feel bad sometimes."

I stared at him. "Fang, Lucas has his bad sides too. And you don't owe him or any of the kids else anything except to be a good father."

Fang glanced at me. "And uncle, apparently."

"You've got a lot of nephew looking up to you now," I commented. "You've got to play father for a lot of boys."

Fang shrugged. "Not a lot. James, Lance…and our kids."

"Neo too."

"He's got Gasman," Fang said, waving off my concern.

"Not for long."

Fang stopped running his fingers down his son's name. "What are you talking about?"

"He's applied for fall semester."

Fang perked up. "Really?"

"Uh-huh," I said, smiling. "I think he'll get in too."

Fang snorted. "Yeah, whatever."

"Why are you in a bad mood again?"

"I'm not," he said. "Hey, I need Jay's name. Where should I get it?"

"On your stomach," I said, patting an area.

Fang smiled a little. "Why's that?"

"Huh?"

"I have a reason for all the others. Why would I get him there?"

"You know," I said, having to think on my feet. "Because when I told you I was pregnant we were eating breakfast."

"We were also talking about you know what."

"And? Everything turned out okay, didn't it?"

Fang shook his head. "If that's where you think."

"It is," I said. "And, if you're going to be fair, you should get James, Neo, and Lance's names somewhere."

"What? Max, no."

"Yes," I said. "It looks like they'll be living here for awhile. What's wrong with it?"

"Where would I get them?"

"Um…James could be on the underside of your left arm."

"Why?"

"Because Cody's names is on the outside of your arm," I said. "They're friends and stuff, you know."

"What about Neo?"

"Uh…your lower back, beneath where your wings meet your back."

"Why?"

"Because that's one of the only places left, alright?"

"Alright, alright. What about Lance?"

"In between your wings."

Fang looked at me like I was crazy. "Do you know how painful that would be? Why would I do that?"

"Because Bone always wanted wings," I said. "Besides, it was just a thought. Do whatever you want."

Fang began looked down at his body. "All these names and I don't even have yours."

"That's alright," I said, running a hand down his chest. "I like having our babies names there, not mine."

Fang closed his eyes. "I hope Lucas forgives us."

"He will," I said, cuddling into him. "He always does."

* * *

Nudge got off work this year, but Drake didn't. He was really upset about it too. I don't know why. It seems that he had started to think of us as family, even though he and Nudge weren't married yet. When I asked her about the waiting until marriage thing he had decided on when they first started going out, she said that they still were following it. They hadn't had sex yet. Wow. He had more willpower than Damien.

"Hi," Cody said to Amber. "Wanna play with me?"

"No," she said, not looking at him. Today was Christmas Eve and we still had awhile until it was time to go to Mom's.

James frowned. "You're not fun, Amber. No like you."

"James, be nice," I said from the couch.

Fang was at work, but he was closing the store around five today, seeing as it was Christmas Eve. Running the store is getting harder and harder. Fang and I had discussed closing it and finding new jobs, but we couldn't. Besides, Luther's father was sending checks to keep his house and store paid for, with a little extra every time. If we closed the store, we'd have to give up that little extra that we help ourselves to. What? It's called child support…kind of.

Jason, who was in Nudge's lap, started bouncing. "Ah!"

Lance whined from his spot in my lap. I gave him a kiss on the head. "Shhh, Lance. You're okay."

When Bone first left, the first thing that I did was call his in-laws. They said that they wanted nothing to do with Lance. They hadn't liked Bone and didn't accept his child as their grandchild. Whatever. Lance doesn't' need them anyways. He has me and Fang.

He settled, leaning against me. It was kind of sad, thinking that he would never know his mother. I didn't really know her that well either, but I knew enough about her to know that she loved Bone and she loved her baby. Victoria was a good person. Sure, bitchy, but even me and Cameron can be called that too.

Cody sat down next to his dolls. "Amber, do you wanna be the mommy?"

"Said I wasn't playing with you."

"I know," he said. "Just think you should be mommy."

"No," she repeated, still playing by herself. James was not impressed by the older girl.

"Max, Amber's mean," he said, looking at me with a distressed look. "Alex play? We wan' Alex!"

"Yeah," Cody agreed. "Love Alex!"

"Yes!"

I rolled my eyes. "Guys, stop."

Neo jumped up. He had been playing with Fox. "Max?"

"What?" I asked, hugging Lance to me.

He just giggled, falling back down. I smiled.

"This many kids is confusing," Nudge commented. "How do you play with all of them?"

"That's the point of having so many. They play with each other."

* * *

"Hello?" Cameron opened the front door. Then her breath stopped. "Paul?'

He smiled brightly at his younger sister. "Hi."

"Damien! Come get rid of him," she yelled, turning away. Damien came down the stairs with his daughter on his arms.

"Oh," Damien said, looking at his brother-in-law. "I thought it was Jack or something."

Paul frowned. "When did you see him?"

"It's not important," Cameron interrupted, laying back down on the couch. "Damien, Jack's gone now. You'll probably never see him again."

"Why not?"

Cameron shrugged. "Just make Paul leave. Now."

"I'm not leaving," Paul said, walking into the house. He looked Damien in the eyes, as if daring him to force him. "And who is this?"

Samantha giggled as he came over to her. Paul looked nice, not like Fang at all. Paul took his niece from Damien. Smiling, he asked her, "Can you talk?"

Samantha smiled. "Hi."

"You can."

She laid her head on his shoulder, yawning. It was almost naptime. Cameron was not impressed with Paul's baby skills.

"Where's Lacey and Derek? Shouldn't you be with them for Christmas?"

Paul hesitated. "Lacey and I are on a break. She took Derek to her mother's."

Damien frowned, wanting to say something, but not knowing what exactly would be appropriate. Cameron just shrugged.

"Well, can you leave? We're busy."

Her oldest brother ignored her. "Where's the tree?"

"We don't have one," Cameron said. "Trees are stupid."

"Whatever, Scrooge."

"If you're going to call me names, you had better just go on and leave."

"Well-"

"Ah!" Samantha pointed towards the kitchen. Cameron tensed fleetingly, memories of an intruder coming from that same kitchen.

"You have a dog?" Paul asked, frowning.

Cameron let out a held breath. "That's Bubba."

"Who?"

"One of Damien's friend's dogs. He left, so we're taking care of it."

"You said dogs," Paul said, looking at the old thing suspiciously. Bubba, who was probably closer to death than a three week old fly, walked lazily over to the couch and sat down in front of it. "Where's the other one?"

Damien took that question. "He knew this little girl. Jamisha, I think. Anyways, we were at his place, clearing out what he didn't take and putting it into storage, when she asked about the dogs. We asked her mom and she let her keep the other dog, Nina."

Samantha bounced in Paul's arms. She loved Bubba. He was a lot nicer than Peter. The cat in question, at the moment, was sitting on the back of the couch, above Cameron. He did not like his new housemate. In fact, he despised the foul thing. First they bring home a whining, tail pulling, miniature human, and now a canine! It was unbearable.

"So are you going to leave, or what?" Cameron asked. "There's no room for you here."

"Yes, there is. You have a three bedroom house, Cameron."

"Mine and Damien, Samantha's, and…Tommy's," she said, looking away for a minute. "There's no room for you."

"Wait a minute, you haven't moved his stuff-"

"There's no room for you," she repeated.

"Then I'll sleep on the couch," Paul decided.

"No."

"Uh, my parents have an extra room," Damien spoke up. "I'm sure-"

"Damien!"

"What?" He looked at his wife. "I'm being helpful."

Cameron groaned. "Fine, Paul, sleep on the couch. Ruin my life."

He just smiled at her. "I love you, Cameron."

Much like she would do with Damien, she said a few choice curse words before heading up the stairs. This time, however, instead of taking Peter, she took Samantha. It was almost enough to make Damien cry…and he would've, had Paul not been there. He did not want Paul having yet another thing to make fun of him about.

* * *

Fang was in a lot better mood today. When he got to Mom's, he was all happy and stuff.

"Hey, baby," he said to me, going to give me a kiss. I was slightly in shock that he went to me first and not one of the kids, but I didn't let it show.

"Hey, wanna get me a soda?"

Fang gave me another kiss on the head. "No."

Jerk… Fang moved away from me. "Tyler, go get your mom a drink."

"You all hate me!" He yelled, but did go and get me a water, which wasn't what I asked for, but he at least had the kindness to do it, so I took it.

Fang went around and gave all the boys hugs and kisses before looking back at me. "Where's Tabitha?"

Right, he didn't know… "With Adeem."

"What?"

I nodded my head. "She said that she's not Christian, so why make her be over here for Christmas Eve?"

Fang's niceness to me ended quickly. "Max, she is Christian and she is going to celebrate Christmas."

"Where are you going?" I asked as he headed for the door.

"To go pick her up."

"Fang, maybe you shouldn't," Mom said, coming in from the kitchen. He had clearly been expecting her, of all people, to side with him on this.

"What?"

Mom nodded. "You can't force her to do something. That will just make her not want to do it even more. Just let her be with her friend for today. Besides, it's not Christmas, Fang. Just Christmas Eve."

"So what? I'm just going to let her play Muslim because you all think it's okay?"

"No," I said. "She said that she's not Muslim either. She doesn't want to be anything right now."

"And that's not good."

"Fang, she's eight, not eighteen. Let her do what she wants."

"Max, this is when kids do stupid things that scar them."

"Fang, that's thirteen, not eight. God. And what would you know? When we were eight we didn't even know what God was. Now look at us…or you at least."

He was mad at me and it was obvious. Fang walked out of the room, but not out of the house. Cody looked at Amber.

"Now be mommy?"

"No."

* * *

Adeem yawned, laying his head down on the table. "I'm hungry."

Tabitha kept on drawing. "Then eat something."

"But then I'd have to get up," he complained. "Hey, Tabitha-"

"No."

He frowned, still staring at her. "Will you be here tomorrow too?"

"No," Tabitha said. "They'll probably make me stay home for Christmas."

He frowned. "Then I'll have nothing to do all day."

"What do you do on Christmas?" She asked.

"Nothing," he said.

"Then why can't you come to my house with me? You can be there and just not be celebrating, right?"

Shaking his head, Adeem said, "No, that's not right. I already asked. It's like cheating Allah or something. Ugh."

Tabitha frowned. "Why'd you make that noise?"

"What noise?"

"You sound like you don't care about cheating Allah."

"I don't," he said.

"Then why are you Muslim?"

He shrugged. "'Cause I gotta be."

"You don't gotta be anything."

"Yeah, I do," he said, looking around. They were in the kitchen and he didn't want his dad or mom to hear him. "Just like you gotta be whatever you are."

"I don't have to be."

"Yes, you do," he said. "You told Max that you didn't want to be Christian, right? That you wanted to come over to my house?"

"Yes."

"But they're still making you celebrate Christmas," he pointed out. "Clearly, they're making you love God. You ain't got no choice."

She frowned. He was right. "When I move out, I'll do whatever I want."

Adeem nodded. "Yep. It'll be you, me, and my band."

"Will it?" She asked, not really believing him. Like he'd ever be in a band. Jeez, it was like Tyler all over again.

"Yeah," he said, nodding his head. "I'll buy us an apartment and you can stay there while I'm on tour."

"Maybe I don't wanna stay there."

"Well, you are, so get over it," he said.

"Don't tell me what to do, Adeem."

"Why can't you just agree with me on this?"

"Fine," she said, finishing her drawing. "But I'm getting a dog."

"At the apartment?"

"Yes."

He groaned. "Fine. Long as it isn't a small dog."

"No," she said. "It'll be a big one."

"Alright then."

* * *

Damien and his two year old were at his store for Christmas Eve. Damien had left the house with her when Cameron and her brother started fighting. Sure, Cameron was starting to be nicer to Samantha, but he wasn't going to risk it.

As shocking as it was, they had little to no business on Christmas Eve, just as everyone told David every year. The only real reason that he made them stay open was that he loved Christmas. As they were the only ones that he could show that to, he needed them around.

Samantha was sitting in Joanna's lap when David walked in. He was showing his festiveness in the same way he did every year. He wore a Santa hat.

"Hi, Samantha," he said, making his voice deeper. "Or should I say ho, ho, ho?"

Samantha frowned, looking at him. He looked familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. Still, he wasn't as scary as Fang, so it was okay.

Joanna, who was manning the counter that day as Cassandra was out of town, rolled her eyes. "What are you doing, David?"

"I'm being Santa for Samantha," he said, wagging his eyebrows. "Eh? Got a new hat and everything."

Damien, who had had no customers the whole day, was drawing in a sketchpad. "Don't scare her, David."

"Scare her?" David shook his head. "She thinks that I'm Santa!"

No, Samantha honestly didn't. His voice had made her realize it was just David. "Day-did."

"No, Samantha. I'm Santa Claus!"

She giggled, reaching out for the man. "Day-did!"

"No," he said a little harsher than originally intended. "Santa Clause."

"Day-did?" She looked at him. "Up?"

"Santa Claus, not David!"

She started to cry. Why was David being mean to her? Damien got up and rushed to get her.

"Nice," Joanna said, letting the toddler's father have her. "Good job, David."

He frowned. "I just wanted her to think that I was Santa."

Samantha calmed down as Damien gave her a kisses. "Daddy!"

Damien sighed as she played with his hair. "See, David? Just be nice to her and she'll be alright."

David took her from the man. Samantha looked at him with fear for a moment, but reaching up and pulling on his Santa hat. She pulled it off and started chewing on the fuzzy white ball on the top.

"I guess she likes me again," David said. "Yeah. No need to be Santa, huh Samantha? You're too smart for that."

"My dad can only hope," Damien said, going to sit back down and start on his drawing again. "He hates kids believing in Santa."

Rachel, who had been ignoring all of them, finally spoke. "Even I tell my nieces about Santa."

"See?" David looked down at Samantha. "You're father's nuts, Damien. I mean, if Ms. Dark and Creepy can tell kids about Santa, then you're father's just crazy."

"No need to convince me," Damien said, still drawing. "I've known that my whole life."

* * *

On Christmas day, every thing wasn't perfect. It wasn't bad either, exactly. Tabitha was mad about not being able to go to Adeem's, and Tyler was upset because he wasn't with Alex. She said that this year, she was going to stay home and that he should too. I think they might be fighting, but I'm too afraid to ask.

"Dan says that Christmas is a hoax. The atheists have taken it over, Dad. Jesus wasn't even born in December. Man just changed it to fix their needs. Did you know that?"

Cody picked up a block and threw it at Tyler. "Shhh."

"Max! He threw something at me!"

"Stop, guys," I said, helping the younger boys open their gifts. Today, my stomach was hurting and I did not want them to make my head hurt too. "Iggy, take care of that."

"You'd think that I live here or something," he grumbled. "Boys, leave each other alone."

Jason stared at the new toys he got. I don't think he understood the idea of Christmas yet. Neither did Neo, really. He just knew that he was getting stuff. The one and a half year old was happily playing with his new stuff.

"Tabitha, just open your gifts," Nudge said, frowning at her.

"No. I'm not Christian."

This was not turning out so well. James pushed his new car around the living room. "When am I going to Granny's?"

"Soon," I said, picking Lance up and putting him into my lap. "How do you like Christmas, Lance?"

He laid against me, clearly tired. I gave the baby a kiss. Fang was trying to help Cody stay interested in his presents, but it was hard. He just wanted to eat, really. It was hectic, this many kids in the house at once, but it was nice. It was…family.

"Da-da!" Neo held up one of his new action figures with pride. Gasman smiled, giving him a kiss.

"You like it?"

Neo cuddled against his father. It was cute, seeing that. Gasman really did love his son, which was a direct opposite from the other kids' that we had taken in fathers. Fang started play wrestling with Tyler, trying to get him in a better mood.

"Stop," Tyler complained, laughing a little as his father fell back when he pushed him.

"What? You hurt me," Fang said, getting back up. He grabbed Tyler again, letting his son push him off once more.

"When are you gonna get a girlfriend?" Lucas asked Iggy, climbing up on the couch with him.

"When are you?" Iggy asked back, smiling a little.

"Never," Lucas said. "Girls are nasty. Do you like boys?"

Fang chocked, stopping his play with Tyler. "What?"

Lucas just looked at Iggy. "Do you?"

"No," Iggy said. "Why? Do you?"

"No," he said. "That'd be nasty. 'sides, then I'd have to be a girl, right? That's what Dad said."

I looked up. "What did he say?'

"That I'd have to be like Carlos and act like a girl."

"Fang-"

A knock on the door cut me off. Gazzy answered it.

"I'm here to see my future brother in law."

Tyler jumped up. "Manuel!"

Pushing past Gasman, Tyler ran to hug Alex's oldest brother. "Alex said that you weren't gonna be home until January."

"I know. That's what I told her," he said, smiling at Tyler. "Come on. I can't surprise her without bringing her future husband along, can I?"

Tyler shook his head. "Alex said that she likes Jamie, not me."

"Who cares what she says?" Manuel started to back away. "I'm her older brother. I choose who she marries. Now, can you come or what?"

"Can I Max?" He asked, looking at me. "Dad?"

"Yeah, go," I said. "Have fun."

Happily, Tyler left with Manuel. Tabitha frowned.

"You wouldn't have let me leave with Adeem," she complained.

Fang got up and went over to her. He hugged her. "No, Tabitha, I wouldn't. There is no Christmas without you, baby."

She didn't hug him back. "I still am mad at you."

"That's fine," he said, giving her a kiss. "I love you anyways."

There was another knock on the door. Thinking that it was just Tyler and he needed to get something or ask me something, I went to answer it. It wasn't Tyler.

I hadn't seen Angel in a few years. Besides word of mouth, I knew nothing about her. She didn't call and didn't answer my calls. I was starting to think it would be an honor to even be invited to her funeral, much less a wedding. Her being here blew my mind.

I tried to talk, tried to say something to her, but I couldn't. Words didn't work, feelings were lies. Everything was numb. Before I knew it, I was hugging her, and she was hugging me back. What?

"I missed you," she whispered. "I'm sorry, too. About everything. I was stupid."

"You were a kid," I said, as if that took away all blame. And it did. "It's okay."

"Mommy?" Lucas walked over to us. "Is this Daddy's girlfriend?"

"What?" Angel looked at me, but I just shook my head. It wasn't important.

"No," Fang said, frowning. He got up and came to give Angel a hug too. The last time he had seen her, he had sent her off on a plane, not being able to handle the fact that she said something bad about Kevin. That was years ago now.

"I'm sorry," Angel whispered to Fang, hugging him back.

"Shut up," he said, pushing her back gently. "Come on, Tabitha doesn't want her presents, you can have them."

"What?" Tabitha frowned. "No."

Angel just laughed. "Hi, Gasman."

He didn't look nearly as thrilled to see her. "Why are you here? Don't your mom and dad need you home?"

She frowned at him. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing," he said, looking down at Neo in his lap.

James got up. "I'm James. I'm Max's baby."

"No!" Cody frowned. "No."

"You've got a lot more kids than I remember," Angel said, looking at me funny. Clearly James was throwing her off.

"Yeah, well," I said, looking at them. "That's family."

For awhile, things were nice. We were all together. Even Gasman and Angel started getting along a little better once Mom got there. Tabitha actually opened her presents too. It was all good.

Then Lucas spilt his drink on Tabitha and she hit him, making him cry loudly about how unfair it all was. The word unfair reminded him about how unfair it was that we forgot his birthday. That made James and Cody upset, because they don't like for other people to cry. Which made Lance and Jason start crying, because it was all too loud. Even though it might have seemed horrible at the time, I'm sure one day we would look back on it and laugh.

We had had to change, adjust, accept and live through so much in the past two years, that it was kind of nice that the worst part of today was Lucas crying over nothing. It was all good. So good. Sure, Bone was gone, Luther was no where to be found, Tommy was dead, Jeb was bothering me, and Victoria was gone, but we were all still living. Not much more you can ask for.

* * *

A few days after Christmas, Cameron got called into work, and Damien was working too. David was in a bad mood that day, though, and said that Sam couldn't stay there. Damien was left with no choice. The closet person to him was none other than Fang.

"What?"

Damien looked at his friend. "Please? Just keep her for a little while, Fang."

"I…she doesn't like me, Damien."

"I know," he said. "But I have no other choice. It'll just be a little while. Bye-bye, Samantha."

She looked around. All she saw was Fang. He wasn't leaving her with him, was he? Damien left, setting his daughter on the counter.

"Hey, now," Fang tried, holding up his hands. "Don't start-"

But she did. She began to cry. Loudly. Fang sighed, picking her up. "Stop it. What did I ever do to you? Huh?"

She wiggled in his arms, wanting far away from her. Fang sat her down on the floor before getting up. He was going to go find her a plushie to play with, but he tripped over his untied shoelace. Samantha, seeing this, stopped crying and started to laugh.

"What?" Fang stood back up. "You think that's funny?"

He fell again, making her tears disappear completely. Fang smiled. "You think that's funny? Watch this."

He opened his wings and started running around the store. He flapped them enough to get him an inch off the ground, before stopping, making him fall hard and her laugh just as hard.

Fang smiled. "You like that? Huh?"

He stood up and fell into a bookshelf, knocking the mangas to the ground. Samantha's giggles were like the sun to Superman. And Fang doesn't even like Superman.

He finally stopped falling into stuff a few minutes later and looked around. He had trashed the store, basically. Great. That'd be fun cleaning up.

Samantha stood up and walked over to him. She patted his leg. "Okay."

"What?"

"Okay," she repeated, smiling at him. Fang was an okay person after all. And it only took him falling to the floor a million times for her to see that.

Fang picked up Samantha. "You know, Sam, no one else really appreciates me falling like you do."

She just giggled.

* * *

**And, that's the end. ****As far as it being the end of this story line, I don't know. It could be. I like the way I ended it. Either way, I probably won't be writing anything more to it until I at least go back and edit Change, as far as grammar and spelling goes. I don't think I'll write another one, but I might, eventually. **


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